TL;DR:
- Israeli startup Sheba Medical Center has developed AISAP, a product that utilizes AI to diagnose cardiac issues instantly.
- AISAP enables any doctor to use a handheld ultrasound probe and a digital tablet for rapid diagnosis.
- It addresses the challenge of timely diagnosis even when portable ultrasound machines are available.
- AISAP focuses on two critical scan points and eight essential heart functions to provide core diagnostic information.
- The platform offers real-time feedback on image quality and securely analyzes images using AI algorithms.
- AISAP has shown a significant impact on patient care and management, empowering non-expert physicians.
- The product has gained approval and is already being used at Sheba, with negotiations underway for sales to other Israeli hospitals.
- AISAP aims to gain FDA approval and enter the US market by 2024, backed by a comprehensive clinical trial.
- The future potential of AISAP and its AI-driven diagnostic capabilities are poised to revolutionize the cardiac care market.
Main AI News:
In the fast-paced world of healthcare, time is of the essence, especially when it comes to diagnosing cardiac issues. Recognizing this critical need, a group of visionary physician-entrepreneurs at Sheba Medical Center, a leading healthcare institution, has developed a groundbreaking product that leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide instant cardiac diagnoses. This innovative solution, known as AISAP, has the potential to save lives by swiftly detecting and addressing cardiac problems.
Traditionally, the diagnosis of heart conditions involved time-consuming processes that relied heavily on the expertise of cardiologists. However, AISAP changes the game by enabling any doctor, regardless of specialization, to utilize the product effectively. Equipped with a handheld ultrasound probe and a digital tablet, physicians can now diagnose cardiac issues on the spot, facilitating prompt and accurate interventions.
Ultrasound technology has long been utilized for diagnosing heart conditions, with portable ultrasound machines becoming increasingly prevalent. These point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices allow patients to undergo scans conveniently at hospitals, homes, ambulances, or even remote clinics. Despite this advancement, the challenge lies in ensuring timely diagnoses for all patients. Limited resources and a shortage of expert physicians to interpret the scans often hinder effective and efficient diagnosis. AISAP overcomes this challenge by providing rapid answers to physicians managing cardiac patients in various medical settings.
Professor Robert Klempfner, co-founder and chief medical officer of AISAP, explains, “There are many scenarios today where non-cardiologists are responsible for managing cardiac patients, such as in internal medicine, emergency departments, intensive care units, or outpatient settings. These physicians require rapid access to accurate information.” AISAP bridges this gap by seamlessly transforming POCUS into point-of-care assisted diagnosis (POCAD), empowering physicians to make informed decisions promptly.
Considering that cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of global mortality, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives annually, according to the World Health Organization, the significance of AISAP cannot be overstated. In the United States alone, 6.2 million adults currently live with heart failure, highlighting the urgent need for innovative diagnostic solutions. The visionary minds behind AISAP, operating as part of Sheba’s ARC digital innovation infrastructure, firmly believe that their invention can play a pivotal role in preventing unnecessary fatalities. By enabling physicians to close the loop from clinical questions to imaging and diagnosis within minutes, AISAP ensures timely detection and management of cardiac problems.
While the ultimate goal is to expand AISAP’s diagnostic capabilities to encompass diseases affecting multiple organs, the initial focus is on cardiac conditions. Professor Klempfner clarifies, “We are not aiming to replace the comprehensive echo study performed by expert technicians and cardiologists, which takes around 60 minutes. Instead, we sought to provide key clinical insights and essential information through a concise examination lasting five to seven minutes.” By accomplishing this objective, AISAP revolutionizes the way physicians approach cardiac diagnoses.
To achieve its remarkable capabilities, AISAP was developed as a platform that requires no specialized equipment. A handheld scanning device and a digital tablet are the only tools necessary for utilizing AISAP, irrespective of the brand or manufacturer. “The handheld scanner probe, regardless of whether it is manufactured by GE, Siemens, Philips, Butterfly, or any other reputable company, costs only a fraction of a full echo-cardiology machine, ranging from $2,500 to $6,000,” notes Professor Klempfner.
The diagnostic process involves acquiring and interpreting data from the scans. The clinician performing the scan must possess the skills to capture the right images and comprehend their implications. AISAP simplifies this process by evaluating image quality and eliminating variability, focusing on two critical scan points and eight essential heart functions. These include assessing left and right heart function, detecting major valvular pathology, identifying fluid accumulation around the heart, and measuring the diameter of the inferior vena cava vein. Notably, inferior vena cava measurements offer insights into conditions such as fluid underload, indicating shock or dehydration, as well as fluid overload, a key indicator of heart failure—the most economically burdensome condition for adults over 60 in the United States, as highlighted by Professor Klempfner.
“The selection of these eight data points was derived from extensive surveys conducted among physicians in Israel, Europe, and the United States,” Professor Klempfner emphasizes. As the clinician scans the required spots on the patient’s chest, AISAP provides real-time feedback on image quality. If the images are insufficient for interpretation, the platform prompts the clinician to optimize the image quality. AISAP deliberately refrains from interpreting images that lack the necessary clarity.
Following the rapid scan, the images are securely transmitted to the AISAP cloud-based platform, accessible from anywhere and at any time. AI algorithms analyze the images by comparing them to an extensive database of previously scanned cases. The analysis is swiftly returned to the tablet, providing immediate results. Furthermore, the images and report can be securely shared globally with healthcare organizations or specialists at the click of a button, empowering collaborative decision-making and reducing geographical barriers.
“The AISAP cloud houses the collective intelligence derived from hundreds of millions of frames it has encountered. We have trained the system using our vast imaging database from Sheba, comprising fully annotated and diagnosed images by expert cardiologists,” explains Klempfner. “Consequently, AISAP possesses a wealth of experience, surpassing that of any practicing cardiologist.“
It follows that AISAP’s experience surpasses that of non-cardiologists as well, enabling them to ascertain whether a patient has a heart problem, determine its severity, and decide if a cardiologist’s consultation is necessary. Dr. Kobi Faierstein, an internal medicine resident at Sheba, emphasizes the transformative impact of AISAP on patient care. “AISAP has revolutionized our approach to patient care. We can perform the AISAP examination at the bedside, and within seconds, we receive the report. If needed, we can share the report with a cardiologist for immediate feedback. I feel much more confident when discharging patients,” he asserts.
Training physicians to utilize AISAP effectively requires only a few hours. While there is a learning curve, clinicians typically become proficient after performing between 30 and 50 scans. “AISAP monitors every step you take during the examination and provides a comprehensive report in real-time. We can identify areas where you may need improvement, and if necessary, send a technician to work with you at the bedside to enhance your skills,” notes Klempfner. Dr. Faierstein commends the immediate feedback provided by AISAP, which proves invaluable in enhancing his scanning technique. “Initially, it took me around 15 minutes to perform a scan, but now I can complete it in just five minutes. I have learned how to adjust the probe’s placement for larger patients or those with intubation, among other factors,” he adds.
AISAP’s efficacy has been validated through a prospective clinical trial involving 1,000 patients across seven departments at Sheba. According to Professor Klempfner, half of the patients who underwent ASIAP scans, despite not meeting the criteria for a full echocardiogram due to less severe or vague symptoms, displayed noteworthy findings. Furthermore, half of these patients required a change in their management based on AISAP’s insights. “By providing physicians with insights beyond what can be obtained through traditional stethoscope examinations, AISAP significantly influenced the management of 250 patients,” remarks Klempfner. These compelling results, along with additional findings, will be presented by Klempfner and his team at the upcoming European Society of Cardiology Congress in Amsterdam.
AISAP has received approval from the Health Ministry’s Pharmaceutical Division and has already been implemented at Sheba. The company is currently negotiating sales to four other esteemed Israeli hospitals. Looking to the future, AISAP aims to obtain FDA approval and enter the US market by 2024. To achieve this, the company is concluding a comprehensive prospective clinical trial with renowned healthcare institutions such as Jefferson Health, Inova Health System, and Padeh Poriyah Hospital. This trial aims to demonstrate that non-expert physicians using AISAP outperform their counterparts who rely solely on their expertise. The results of these physicians will be compared to those of expert cardiologists from Mass General Brigham, the esteemed institution overseeing the study.
Conclusion:
AISAP’s AI-driven approach to cardiac diagnosis presents a groundbreaking solution to the urgent challenge of timely detection and management of cardiac issues. By empowering physicians with rapid access to accurate information, AISAP has the potential to transform the market by enabling non-expert physicians to make informed decisions promptly. The scalability and future expansion of AISAP’s diagnostic capabilities to other organs indicate a promising future for AI-driven healthcare innovations.
