Doctors can now detect heart failure by scanning this other body part
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New AI tool can detect heart failure early
- Researchers have developed an AI-powered foot scanner that uses technology similar to facial recognition to detect early signs of heart failure by measuring fluid levels in the feet and ankles.
- The scanner, which captures and analyses nearly 2,000 images per minute, aims to provide early alerts of fluid retention (oedema), a critical indicator of worsening heart failure.
- A study involving 26 heart failure patients showed that the AI scanner could trigger alerts to healthcare professionals about 13 days before a patient would typically end up in hospital.
- The study also revealed that monitoring using Bluetooth-enabled scales was less effective, as patients struggled with consistent tracking, whereas the AI device required no action from the patient.
- Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study, suggests the device could act as a 'virtual nurse' amid a shortage of heart failure nurses.