A new study shows that an artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by Mayo Clinic and Ultromics, Ltd., an AI echocardiography company in Oxford, England, is highly accurate at screening for cardiac amyloidosis, a rare, progressive form of heart failure. It is the first and only AI tool designed specifically for this purpose.
Researchers from Mayo Clinic and Ultromics, in collaboration with the University of Chicago Medicine and global partners, tested and validated the model using a large, multiethnic patient population. They compared its performance with other diagnostic methods for cardiac amyloidosis.
The findings, published in the European Heart Journal, demonstrate that the AI model achieved 85% sensitivity and 93% specificity. Using a single echocardiography videoclip, the model accurately detected all major types of cardiac amyloidosis and distinguished the condition from others with similar imaging characteristics.
Cardiac amyloidosis occurs when abnormal amyloid proteins build up in the heart, causing it to stiffen and impair function. Because its symptoms and imaging features often mimic other heart conditions, it is frequently missed. Early diagnosis is critical, as new drug therapies can slow or halt the disease’s progression when started promptly.
This work builds on Mayo Clinic and Ultromics’ previous success in developing an AI echocardiography model to detect heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which received FDA clearance in 2022. HFpEF is a common but challenging-to-diagnose form of heart failure, and studies suggest that up to 15% of patients with HFpEF also have cardiac amyloidosis.
This AI model is a breakthrough tool that can help identify patients earlier so they can receive the treatment they need. Study researchers found that AI outperformed traditional clinical and echo-based screening methods, giving clinicians stronger insights for determining when to proceed with confirmatory tests. New treatments for cardiac amyloidosis are available, but are most effective when started early.
The FDA-cleared amyloid AI model is currently in use at multiple centres across the United States.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Image Credit: iStock
