Google uses AI, deep learning to predict cardiovascular risk from retina scans

Researchers from Google discovered a deep learning algorithm that can accurately predict cardiovascular risk factors based on images of a patient's eyes, according to a Monday Google Research Blog post. Heart disease and stroke are the world's largest causes of death, accounting for more than half of all deaths worldwide in 2015, according to the World Health Organization. These diseases have remained the leading causes of death globally for the last 15 years, the organization noted. Using deep learning technology to aid in diagnosis could help scientists create more targeted hypotheses, and drive a wide range of future research on these and other conditions, Google noted. For doctors, assessing a patient's risk for cardiovascular disease is a critical first step toward reducing the likelihood that the patient suffers a cardiovascular event in the future, Lily Peng, Google Brain Team's product manager, wrote in the post.