In a multinational study, AI-guided novices achieved 100% diagnostic accuracy on key cardiac imaging endpoints.
HeartFocus, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled heart echo software developed by image analysis company DESKi, released results from an international clinical trial validating that echocardiogram novices, guided by HeartFocus’ real-time AI, can capture diagnostic-quality heart scans after only brief training.
The results, which support HeartFocus’ mission to expand access to critical heart disease diagnostics by demonstrating that any healthcare professional can be empowered to conduct medical-grade cardiac scans, were presented as an abstract by cardiologist and assistant professor of cardiology at Northwell Health, Caroline Ong, MD, during a late-breaking clinical trials session at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session & Expo in Chicago.
Study Design and Findings
The multi-center and non-randomized trial was conducted in collaboration between Northwell Health in the United States, University Hospital of Bordeaux in France, and DESKi, HeartFocus’ parent company headquartered in Bordeaux.
A total of 240 adult patients underwent two ultrasound exams: one performed by an expert (a trained sonographer or cardiologist) and one by a novice using HeartFocus AI guidance. Five cardiologists blind-reviewed both exams to evaluate whether the images were of sufficient quality to visually analyze left ventricular size and function, the right ventricular size, and the presence of non-trivial pericardial effusion.
Results showed that 100% of exams conducted by novices using HeartFocus met the diagnostic standards for all primary endpoints, with a strong correlation to expert-acquired scans across qualitative and quantitative assessments.
“I could not be more proud of the trial’s incredible outcomes, and excited by the prospects it brings for heart disease detection, prevention, and management,” says Bertrand Moal, PhD, MD, and CEO of DESKi, in a release. “The trial proved that we can safely and effectively extend cardiac imaging capabilities to more providers, more settings, and more patients. I’m grateful for the collaboration of Northwell Health, University Hospital of Bordeaux (CHU), and all the abstract authors for their unwavering dedication.”
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