Scientific article
OA Policy
English

LLM-augmented semantic embeddings enable Cross-Lingual mapping of medical procedure terms

Published inScientific reports, vol. 16, no. 1, 4660
Publication date2026-01-09
First online date2026-01-09
Abstract

Cross-lingual information retrieval limits global exchange of data because of the high diversity in the methods to classify, document and encode medical procedures. Traditional keyword-based or single-language systems are not able to align data from surgical and interventional procedures, especially from non-English healthcare systems. This study aims to develop a pipeline for cross-lingual retrieval and integration of medical procedures data. MAP-CARE is a novel framework that leverages Large Language Models (LLMs) for translating and transforming medical procedures into a unified multilingual embedding space. S emantic embeddings are used to enhance retrieval accuracy and interoperability across languages and healthcare systems. MAP-CARE demonstrated high accuracy in the translation and mapping of clinical terms. Its cross-language translation performance proved robust, achieving up to Acc@5 = 0.90 in translating procedure classification codes across English, German, French, and Italian. The cross-classification mapping workflow also showed high accuracy in aligning two different national procedure classifications, with exact and near matches exceeding 53.8% at the most granular level. MAP-CARE offers a flexible, scalable, and robust solution for the multilingual and cross-system integration of medical procedural data. Its innovative use of large language models (LLMs) combined with semantic embeddings sets a new standard for the accessibility and utility of multilingual medical information. The framework is designed for easy extension from a terminology file in CSV format and is publicly available.

Keywords
  • Classification
  • Cross-language mapping
  • Interoperability
  • LLM
  • Medical procedures
  • Non-English healthcare systems
  • Semantic embedding
  • Terminology
Citation (ISO format)
GUILLEN-RAMIREZ, Hugo et al. LLM-augmented semantic embeddings enable Cross-Lingual mapping of medical procedure terms. In: Scientific reports, 2026, vol. 16, n° 1, p. 4660. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-34778-7
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Additional URL for this publicationhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-34778-7
Journal ISSN2045-2322
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