Researchers from Loyola University, USA, have developed a new, more effective technology that uses artificial intelligence to monitor the location of arterial blockages in the heart with high accuracy through a CT scan of blood flow. The new technology dispenses with surgery, compared to traditional methods that take place in cardiac catheterization laboratories.
Prof. Dr. Mark Rabbat, who participated in the study, said, “The new technology improves the diagnosis of diseases and facilitates treatment, and opens the way for monitoring diseases that other tests cannot detect, while avoiding the use of treatments that require the introduction of tools into the body such as catheters.” According to the Medical Express website.
He added, “40% to 50% of people suffer from heart attacks without showing any previous symptoms, and the new technology may help them take preventive measures after reaching a certain age.”
Rabat emphasized that “some minor symptoms of cardiac arrest can be monitored, such as nausea, fatigue, and pain in the jaw, neck, shoulder, forearm, or upper abdomen, which requires a CT scan to monitor the possibility of their injury and improve their heart health.”
The researchers conducted an extensive trial to compare different heart scanning techniques with each other, and found that the new technique reduced the rate of false results in diagnosing coronary artery disorders.
The mechanism of action of the technology is based on the patient undergoing a CT scan and collecting data for later interpretation within artificial intelligence models that capture arterial blockages and study how they obstruct blood flow.
The researchers used advanced algorithms to create a 3D model of the patient’s heart, and to study quantitative data on his blood flow, which allows monitoring of where blockages and clots form.
The model allows for the design of treatment plans that deal with blockages in a way that is more advanced than what can be achieved with conventional tomography.
The researchers conducted an extensive experiment to compare the different techniques of scanning the heart with each other, and found that the new technique reduced the rate of false results in diagnosing coronary artery disorders.
The technique revealed arterial blockages that could not be noticed in other scanning techniques, and the accuracy of locating the blockage reached 90%. This allowed to study the best places for the installation of the cardiac network.
The new examination technology can be included in therapeutic procedures related to the assessment of chest pain, to diagnose any heart disorders, as well as to increase the rates of diagnosis in people who do not show symptoms of heart disease.