LONDON: An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered stethoscope could help doctors detect three different heart conditions within seconds, according to British researchers.
The original stethoscope, invented in 1816, enabled doctors to listen to the internal sounds of a patient’s body. Now, a British research team has conducted a study using a modernised version and found that it can detect heart failure, heart valve disease, and abnormal heart rhythms almost instantly, BBC reported.
Researchers describe the device as a potential “real game-changer,” allowing patients to receive treatment much sooner. Following a study involving 205 GP surgeries in west and north-west London, plans are underway to introduce the device across the UK.
This new tool replaces the traditional chest piece with a compact device about the size of a playing card. It uses a microphone to analyze subtle variations in heartbeat and blood flow that are beyond the range of the human ear.
It takes an ECG (electrocardiogram), recording electrical signals from the heart, and transmits the information to the cloud to be analysed by AI trained on data from tens of thousands of patients.
A study conducted by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust involved over 12,000 patients from 96 GP surgeries who were examined using AI-powered stethoscopes manufactured by the US company Eko Health. These results were then compared to patients from 109 GP surgeries where the technology was not used.
Researchers found that patients with heart failure were 2.33 times more likely to have the condition detected within 12 months when examined with the AI stethoscope.
Additionally, abnormal heartbeat patterns—which often show no symptoms but increase the risk of stroke—were 3.5 times more likely to be identified with the AI device. Detection of heart valve disease was also 1.9 times higher using the AI stethoscopes.
“This is an elegant example of how the humble stethoscope, invented more than 200 years ago, can be upgraded for the 21st century,” said Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and consultant cardiologist.
Such innovations are vital “because so often this condition is only diagnosed at an advanced stage when patients attend hospital as an emergency”, she said.
The findings were presented to thousands of doctors at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress in Madrid, the world’s largest heart conference. Plans are underway to introduce the new AI stethoscopes to GP practices in South London, Sussex, and Wales.
