GE Healthcare Announces First X-ray AI to Help Assess ETT Placement

Critical Care Suite 2.0 helps bedside staff and radiologists assess Endotracheal Tube (ETT) placement for intubated patients, including critical COVID-19 patients GE Healthcare announced a new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to help clinicians assess Endotracheal Tube (ETT) placements, a necessary and important step when ventilating critically ill COVID-19 patients. The AI solution is one of five included in GE Healthcare's Critical Care Suite 2.0, an industry-first collection of AI algorithms embedded on a mobile x-ray device for automated measurements, case prioritization and quality control. Research shows that up to 25 percent of patients intubated outside of the operating room have misplaced ETTs on chest x-rays, which can lead to severe complications for patients, including hyperinflation, pneumothorax, cardiac arrest and death. Moreover, as COVID-19 cases climb, with more than 50 million confirmed worldwide, anywhere from 5-15 percent require intensive care surveillance and intubation for ventilatory support. "Today, clinicians are overwhelmed, experiencing mounting pressure as a result of an ever-increasing number of patients," said Jan Makela, President and CEO, Imaging at GE Healthcare.