Deep-learning algorithm estimates gestational age from smartphone images – Physics World

Prematurity is a significant cause of mortality in neonates. Knowledge of an infant's gestational age is critical in post-delivery treatment plans to reduce neonatal deaths. In high-income countries, prenatal ultrasound scans – the ground truth measure – are the gold-standard method to track gestational aging, but in lower-income countries, access to ultrasound technology and medical experts is limited. "If we could accurately estimate gestational age for newborns using simple, portable technology, we would be able to administer a proper post-treatment plan to reduce the risk of mortality in many under-serviced regions," says Arjun Desai from Duke University, first-author on a new study into an automatic system for gestational aging. The cross-disciplinary team, led by Sina Farsiu, has developed a system based on the previously reported inverse correlation between blood vessel density in the anterior lens capsule region, and gestational age.