In just 15 seconds... a smart stethoscope detects heart disease

A device the size of a playing card                                                   

In just 15 seconds... a smart stethoscope detects heart disease

Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based stethoscope that can detect three heart conditions in just 15 seconds.

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, the new stethoscope, developed by researchers from Imperial College London and its affiliated hospital, is capable of analyzing heartbeats and blood flow, and can also perform an electrocardiogram simultaneously.

The researchers said this new stethoscope can instantly detect heart failure, heart valve disease, and arrhythmias. Details of this new invention were presented at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology in Madrid.

The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the researchers conducted a study involving 12,000 patients from 200 general practices in the United Kingdom, focusing on patients suffering from symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.

The results showed that patients screened with this stethoscope were twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart failure compared to patients with similar conditions who were not screened with this stethoscope. Those who underwent the test were also three times more likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, and twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart valve disease compared to the control group.

Patrick Bachtiger, from Imperial College London, said: "The design of the stethoscope has not changed in 200 years, so it's amazing that a smart stethoscope can be used for a 15-second scan, and then AI provides an immediate result indicating whether a person has heart failure, atrial fibrillation, or heart valve disease."

The device, made by California-based Echo Health, is about the size of a playing card and is placed on the patient's chest to record an electrocardiogram (ECG). A microphone records the sound of the heart pumping. After the scan, this information is sent to a cloud for AI to analyze and detect problems, if any. The test results are then sent to a smartphone to determine whether the patient is at risk of developing any of the three conditions.

However, the results of these tests may not always be accurate, as some people may report that they have one of these conditions when they are otherwise healthy. The researchers emphasized the need to use this hearing aid for patients who have symptoms, noting that it is not intended for routine testing of healthy individuals.