Scientists say that they have developed an artificial intelligence that can be used to determine when patients suffering from heart disorder will die.
This software works by analyzing blood tests and scanning the heart beats so as to know when the organ is going to fail, reports BBC Health.
The UK Medical Research Council team said that this technology can be used to save lives by pointing out the patients that require a more aggressive treatment.
Pulmonary Hypertension
The MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences researchers were studying patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension.
When the lungs have a high blood pressure, the heart gets damaged at a faster rate. The patient’s lifespan in this case is usually less than 5 years.
But all hope is not lost because the condition can be treated. Among the available options include drugs, injections straight into the blood vessels, a lung transplant.
But for the doctors to administer the right treatment, they need to have a clue of how long the patients might have left.
How the test was done
To ensure the effectiveness of the software, it was fed with MRI scans of 256 patients’ hearts, and blood test results.
With each heartbeat, the software analyzed the movements of 30,000 different points on the heart.
The data obtained was then merged with 8 years of patient health records. The AI was able to spot the abnormalities that showcased the patient was going to die.
This software was able to predict up to 5 years into the future.
Most doctors are able to predict up to 60% the number of patients who would live past one year. The AI’s record was at 80 percent.
Before the group begins assessment of the AI usage worldwide, they will put it to test in hospitals to be sure its results are universal.