Forbes StaffThe AI model analyzes CT scans of patients to identify the risk of a heart attack within the next ten years.
Technology now and then comes up with new advancements, some of which have already been implemented across sectors around the world. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical field has been inevitable, and the last few years have been proof of the massive technological advancements the industry has embraced. A new technology has been introduced to help people know whether they can get a heart attack within the next ten years. Scientists hail this technology as “game-changing,” for it will help identify people at risk of a heart attack in the next ten years.
AI for detecting the risk of a heart attack.
A new AI model detects inflammation in the heart that doesn’t show in the CT scans involving a combination of X-rays and computer technology. A pilot project is being run at five hospital trusts in Leicester, Liverpool, Oxford, Milton Keynes, and Wolverhampton, supported by NHS England. A decision on its use is expected to happen within months at the NHS. Caristo Diagnostics, its developer, an Oxford University spinout company, said that they were already working on adapting the technology to prevent strokes and diabetes.
The new AI model is game-changing.
Speaking on the new AI model for identifying people at risk of a heart attack in the next ten years, Prof. Keith Channon, the University of Oxford, said, “This technology is transformative and game-changing because, for the first time, we can detect the biological processes that are invisible to the human eye, which precedes the development of narrowings and blockages [within the heart].” As part of the pilot, patients complaining about chest pain and are referred to a routine CT scan will have their scan analyzed by Caristo Diagnostics’ CaRi-Heart AI platform.
How does the AI tech work?
An algorithm detects coronary inflammation and plaque, which is assessed by trained operators to verify its accuracy. Funded by BHF, the study found that 45% of those who used AI technology were prescribed medication or encouraged to make lifestyle changes to prevent the risk of future heart attacks.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently assessing the AI technology to determine whether it should be launched across the NHS. It has been approved for use in Australia and Europe but is under review in the US.
