Doctors have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-led stethoscope that can detect three serious heart conditions in just 15 seconds, The Guardian reported.
The new device, created by researchers at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, is able to identify heart failure, atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm), and heart valve disease almost instantly.
Unlike the traditional stethoscope, invented in 1816, this upgraded version records both heart sounds and electrical signals, which are then analysed by AI algorithms through cloud technology.
According to the report, a trial involving about 12,000 UK patients showed remarkable results. Those examined with the device were twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart failure, three times more likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, and nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with valve disease compared with standard checks.
The device, manufactured by California-based Eko Health, replaces the traditional chest piece with a device around the size of a playing card and connects to smartphones to transmit results. It uses a microphone to analyse subtle differences in heartbeat and blood flow that the human ear cannot detect.
It takes an ECG (electrocardiogram), recording electrical signals from the heart, and sends the information to the cloud to be analysed by AI trained on data from tens of thousands of patients.
Experts believe it could reduce hospital admissions by enabling earlier diagnosis in community clinics.