New AI Can Automatically Detect a Serious Heart Condition

With a 73 percent positive predictive value, the AI technique accurately identified 80 percent of the instances of plaque erosion. Researchers have created a brand-new artificial intelligence (AI) technique that uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) images to automatically detect plaque erosion in the arteries of the heart. Monitoring arterial plaque is crucial because, if it disintegrates, it may obstruct blood flow to the heart, triggering a heart attack or other dangerous problems. "If cholesterol plaque lining arteries starts to erode it can lead to a sudden reduction in blood flow to the heart known as acute coronary syndrome, which requires urgent treatment," said research team leader Zhao Wang from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. "Our new method could help improve the clinical diagnosis of plaque erosion and be used to develop new treatments for patients with heart disease."