BTN News: Artificial intelligence could pre-emptively detect heart attacks up to a decade in advance, analysis using World Health Organization data suggests. This novel approach enables the prediction of heart attacks with greater accuracy and has potential to enhance patient outcomes through a better understanding of an individual’s heart health.
Opportunities for AI in Healthcare
In the UK, more than 300,000 people a year are treated for chest pain that is so severe they need to have CT scanning to help pick up heart problems. But when it comes to more than half of these patients, traditional CT scans fail to spot blockages 80% of the times leading put most patients into doubts and false optimism. The Heart Cells Foundation screened children as young as 10, when fatty deposits can begin to form in the arteries – and a doctor interviewed by The Guardian says this new AI scan could help because it can identify damage due to artery inflammation which conventional scans do not detect.
How the AI Heart Attack Scan Functions
The heart attack AI scan is based on neural network algorithms, which read CT scans and pick up tiny signs of inflammation or other subtle warnings about heart disease that doctors unwittingly miss. More widespread use of this technology might help identify people at an earlier phase and offer the potential for a more precise diagnosis and better estimation of risk, providing better possibilities for treatment in those at high risk to develop a heart attack.
Studies and Clinical Trials
At the very least, one preliminary studies found that doctors changed their opinion (and course of treatment) based on AI scans in 45% of cases. That shows an enormous amount of faith in the system to deliver real value in terms of insights. But the scientists behind the work know there may be glitches-like AI hallucinations-and continue to refine their system for real-world trials.
NICE and NHS Approval Pending
The new scan has the potential to save lives across the UK, according to AI developers, who anticipate a decision from NICE and NHS by the end of 2021. If this technology gets approved, it would revolutionize the way we diagnose diseases and aid in promulgation of the misdiagnosis.
Innovating on Security
So although the results look promising, it is important to maintain strict oversight of AI systems for the time being to guarantee the performance and safety of such approaches for medical utilization. If created responsibly, the AI heart attack scan would be a substantial step forward in preventive healthcare and could save countless lives by predicting heart attacks accurately & earlier.
Conclusion
Oxford University’s AI Heart Attack Scan, one of the most important medical advances to date has been rendered prospective. While NICE and NHS consider the PLAC test, the medical community hope for significantly better patient outcomes in addition to more reliable heart attack diagnosis.
