Scientists have praised technology as “game-changer” since it can identify those who are in danger of having a heart attack within the next ten years.
Using a mix of computer technology and X-rays, the artificial intelligence (AI) model is able to identify cardiac inflammation that is not visible on CT scans.
NHS England-funded five hospital trusts in Oxford, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Liverpool, and Wolverhampton are participating in a pilot study.
In a few months, an NHS decision about its use is anticipated.
Caristo Diagnostics, an Oxford University spin-off business that developed the technology, stated that it was already working on adapting it to prevent diabetes and strokes.
“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 precede the development of narrowings and blockages [within the heart],” said Prof. Keith Channon, of the University of Oxford.
Patients with chest pain who are referred for a routine CT scan as part of the pilot program have the CaRi-Heart AI platform from Caristo Diagnostics analyze their scan.
The accuracy of an algorithm that identifies plaque and coronary inflammation is then confirmed by skilled operators.
Studies have indicated a connection between elevated inflammation and an increased risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.
According to official statistics, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) estimates that 7.6 million people in the UK suffer from heart disease, and the yearly cost to the NHS in England is £7.4 billion.
According to the BHF, about 350,000 individuals are referred for a cardiac CT scan in the UK annually.
Eighty percent of patients in the 40,000-person Orfan research (Oxford Risk Factors and Non-invasive Imaging), which was reported in the Lancet, were returned to primary care without a clear prevention or treatment strategy.
Using that cohort as a focus, the researchers discovered that patients with coronary artery inflammation were 20–30 times more likely to die during the following ten years from a cardiac incident.
According to the BHF-funded study, 45% of the patients received medicine prescriptions or lifestyle modification recommendations as a result of the AI technology.
‘A wake-up call’
Ian Pickford is among the forty thousand patients that were involved in the research.
Following a period of severe chest pain, Ian Pickford, 58, of Barwell, Leicestershire, was referred for a CT scan in November 2023.
He was registered in the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Orfan study.
After testing utilizing the AI analysis revealed the double-glazing salesman was at risk of having a heart attack, he was advised to stop smoking, up his activity, and take statins.
Tests utilizing the AI analysis indicated the double-glazing salesman was at risk of a heart attack; as a result, he was advised to stop smoking, up his activity, and take statins.
Mr. Pickford declared, “It’s a huge wake-up call.”
“And when you see it on paper, you realise how serious it is. It’s something you can look at each day and think, ‘I’ve got to do something about this’.”
Based on the amount of fat around the arteries, the AI model calculates heart inflammation.
The Orfan study head, Prof. Charalambos Antoniades, claimed that the instruments up until this point were antiquated as risk calculators could only evaluate broad risk variables, including a patient’s obesity, diabetes, or smoking habit.
“Now, we know exactly which patient has the disease activity in their arteries before the disease has even developed,” he stated, referring to the type of AI technology available.
“This means we can move early to end the disease process and treat this patient to prevent the disease from developing and then prevent heart attacks from happening.”
The technology is presently being evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to see if it should be implemented throughout the National Health Service.
Approved for usage in Europe and Australia, it is currently undergoing assessment in the United States as well.
Business4 weeks ago
Health3 weeks ago
Technology3 weeks ago
Sports3 weeks ago
Science3 weeks ago
Business2 weeks ago
Science1 week ago
Science1 week ago