Rapid heart disease diagnosis via AI-enhanced acoustic device

Artificial Intelligence Stethoscope Saves Time and Money for UK's NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK is exploring a new tool that could revolutionise primary care and save the health service significant resources. The AI-supported stethoscope, developed by a team from Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, is capable of detecting three serious heart defects within seconds.

This innovative device, manufactured by California-based company Eko Health, works with a single-lead ECG sensor and a mic array. It records heart activity and blood flow readings, which are analysed by algorithms to detect abnormalities. The AI stethoscope is designed to detect three serious heart conditions: heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (AF), and valvular heart disease (VHD).

The primary objective of the smart stethoscope's development is to detect heart problems in the early stages for timely medication and treatment. In the UK TRICORDER study, the device has already been deployed, with over three million patients enrolled as part of the trial program.

The AI stethoscope takes a 15-second recording after placement over the upper left sternal border area on the chest. It connects to a smartphone app via Bluetooth and sends data to the cloud over Wi-Fi or cellular network. The trials have produced reliable results, with the performance of the AI-powered stethoscope shown to be high and consistent against international external validation studies.

The device is classified as a Class IIa medical device, authorised for regular use in healthcare. The British Heart Foundation, a partial funder of the studies, reports that patients examined by the AI-powered stethoscope were roughly 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Patients were almost twice as likely to receive a diagnosis of heart valve disease from the AI-powered stethoscope.

The NHS claims that implementing this tool in primary care could save the health service £2,400 per patient by eliminating the potential need for an unplanned A&E visit. Potentially, the implementation of this technology could enable healthcare savings worth over a hundred million pounds to the government, according to the NHS.

Professor Nicholas Peters, a senior investigator from Imperial College London and consultant cardiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, notes that the smart stethoscope allows the detection of three serious heart conditions in one sitting. Doctors and healthcare professionals won't need a written or signed consent from patients for using the AI stethoscope.

The AI stethoscope's algorithms are governed by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The device's rapid and accurate diagnosis could significantly reduce the number of unplanned A&E visits, saving precious time and resources for the NHS.