Akhil Narang, MD from the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern University discusses AI guidance helps nurses with no experience obtain echocardiograms.

Link to Article -
https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/imaging-physiology/ai-guidance-helps-nurses-no-experience-imaging?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=cvb_news

According to new research published in JAMA Cardiology, AI models will direct nurses with no previous experience through the method of obtaining 10-view transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) studies.


To see if AI could help with this issue, Narang et al. used software designed to "emulate sonographer expertise" by tracking image quality and providing helpful cues when needed.


The team trained its AI model on images from a variety of suppliers, making it adaptable to a variety of platforms, and then put it to the test on a group of eight nurses who had never done an echocardiogram before. From March to May 2019, each nurse screened 30 adult patients who were scheduled for an echocardiogram at one of two facilities.


Each nurse's purchases were individually checked by a group of five experienced specialists. Overall, 98.8% of scans for left ventricular size, function, and pericardial effusion were of diagnostic quality, while 92.5 percent of scans for right ventricular size were of diagnostic quality.


The researchers believe that their work will help users get improved patient care in addition to improving access. If the AI model can assist nurses with no prior experience, it can also be useful for users with some prior experience, offering vital reminders that they can bring with them going forward.

The full analysis is available here -
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2776714