The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom has begun deploying an AI-powered CT-scan reader in hospitals across the country to identify hidden signs of heart disease. The technology can identify disease years before it becomes apparent, BBC reports.
The CaRi-Heart system, developed by researchers at the University of Oxford, picks up subtle abnormalities that a clinician might miss in a CT scan, detecting inflammation and scarring in the endothelium of the heart’s blood vessels.
According to the researchers, when they applied the technology to existing scan results, one in three people who were classified as a “low risk” group were reclassified into the “high risk” category.
“The beauty of our technology is that it will not only save countless lives, but is incredibly simple,” said Dr Chirag Shirodaria, who worked on the project.
He added that CaRi-Heart can analyse a scan obtained from any CT scanner. This means hospitals do not need to upgrade equipment, and patients do not have to undergo repeat imaging.
The technology is already in use in 15 institutions, including hospitals in Oxford, Leicester and London, to analyse CT results for patients aged 40-70 presenting with chest pain.
The NHS hopes to help 350,000 patients annually. According to the agency, cardiovascular diseases affect around 7 million people in the United Kingdom each year and cost the NHS more than £16 billion annually.
Back in January 2021, MIT scientists unveiled a deep-learning model that diagnoses breast cancer from a mammogram image. The scientists said their algorithm performs better than a radiologist.
In March, the U.S. federal agency certified the first device for diagnosing COVID-19. According to developers, the device detects hidden biomarkers of the virus and enables identification even in asymptomatic carriers.
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