Scientists have praised technology as “game-changing” 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 can 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”
Image: Ian Pickard is one of 40,000 patients who took part in the study
In November 2023, Ian Pickard, 58, of Barwell, Leicestershire, was referred for a CT scan due to ongoing chest symptoms.
He was registered at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in the Orfan study.
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.
It’s a major wake-up call, according to Mr. Pickard.
“And you realize how serious it is when you see it on paper. You may look at that every day and conclude, “I need to take action.”
According to Prof. Charalambos Antoniades, who is leading the Orfan project, the instruments that were previously accessible were subpar as risk calculators were limited to evaluating broad risk factors, including having diabetes, smoking, or being obese.
“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.Australia and Europe have approved its use, and the US is currently reviewing it as well.
