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Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, using a single, widely available scan – a transformative advance in early, accurate diagnosis. 

The tool, StateViewer, helped researchers identify the dementia type in 88% of cases, according to research published online on June 27, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It also enabled clinicians to interpret brain scans nearly twice as fast and with up to three times greater accuracy than standard workflows. Researchers trained and tested the AI on more than 3,600 scans, including images from patients with dementia and people without cognitive impairment. 

This innovation addresses a core challenge in dementia care: identifying the disease early and precisely, even when multiple conditions are present. As new treatments emerge, timely diagnosis helps match patients with the most appropriate care when it can have the greatest impact. The tool could bring advanced diagnostic support to clinics that lack neurology expertise. 

The rising toll of dementia 

Dementia affects more than 55 million people worldwide, with nearly 10 million new cases each year. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form, is now the fifth-leading cause of death globally. Diagnosing dementia typically requires cognitive tests, blood draws, imaging, clinical interviews and specialist referrals. Even with extensive testing, distinguishing conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia remains challenging, including for highly experienced specialists. 

StateViewer was developed under the direction of David Jones, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Neurology Artificial Intelligence Program. 

Every patient who walks into my clinic carries a unique story shaped by the brain’s complexity. That complexity drew me to neurology and continues to drive my commitment to clearer answers. StateViewer reflects that commitment – a step toward earlier understanding, more precise treatment and, one day, changing the course of these diseases.” 

Dr. David Jones, M.D., Mayo Clinic neurologist

To bring that vision to life, Dr. Jones worked alongside Leland Barnard, Ph.D., a data scientist who leads the AI engineering behind StateViewer. 

“As we were designing StateViewer, we never lost sight of the fact that behind every data point and brain scan was a person facing a difficult diagnosis and urgent questions,” Dr. Barnard says. “Seeing how this tool could assist physicians with real-time, precise insights and guidance highlights the potential of machine learning for clinical medicine.” 

Turning brain patterns into clinical insight 

The tool analyzes a fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan, which shows how the brain uses glucose for energy. It then compares the scan to a large database of scans from people with confirmed dementia diagnoses and identifies patterns that match specific types, or combinations, of dementia. 

Alzheimer’s typically affects memory and processing regions, Lewy body dementia involves areas tied to attention and movement, and frontotemporal dementia alters regions responsible for language and behavior. StateViewer displays these patterns through color-coded brain maps that highlight key areas of brain activity, giving all clinicians, even those without neurology training, a visual explanation of what the AI sees and how it supports the diagnosis. 

Mayo Clinic researchers plan to expand the tool’s use and will continue evaluating its performance in a variety of clinical settings. 

Journal: JSES Reviews, Reports & Techniques

Title: Mechanisms and Trends of Pediatric Clavicular Fractures in the United States: A 10-Year Epidemiologic Analysis of National Injury Data

Authors: Charu Jain, MD candidate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Sheena Ranade, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedics (Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Bottom line: Clavicular fractures are common injuries among children, usually due to sports-related trauma or accidental falls. The purpose of this study was to assess the epidemiology of clavicular fractures among children in the United States between 2014 and 2023.

Why this study is unique: This study is the first of its kind to analyze 10 years of national emergency department data on pediatric clavicle fractures in the United States.

Why the study is important: Understanding how and where children sustain clavicular fractures helps guide injury prevention, especially in sports and at home. The rise in hospital admissions over the course of this study underscores a need to examine why these injuries may be getting more severe.

How the research was conducted: Data were extracted from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a publicly available database representing approximately 100 emergency departments in the United States. NEISS was queried for all shoulder fractures in patients 0-18 years old. These fractures were then filtered for clavicle fractures. Queries were restricted to fractures from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2023.

Results: The findings show that while overall rates for pediatric clavicular fractures remained stable over the course of the study, there was a statistically significant increase in hospital admissions due to those injuries during that same period. This suggests an increase in severity of those injuries necessitating admission.

What this study means for doctors: The data suggest that pediatric clavicular fractures may be becoming more severe, which calls for better injury prevention and management strategies for doctors, parents, and patients. For physicians, this requires careful assessment and more intensive treatment or monitoring as needed. This study provides valuable insight into where pediatric clavicle fractures are treated—whether in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, or primary care—which can help guide resource allocation for health systems and improve care pathways for patients. Since many clavicle fractures in children heal well without surgery, understanding treatment settings can support better patient management, reduce unnecessary ED visits, and optimize follow-up care.

What this study means for patients: For patients and their parents, the findings emphasize that while many clavicular fractures may heal, some may require closer care or even hospitalization. The findings also emphasize the need for rigorous safety protocols during play and sports to reduce injury risk.

What the next steps are for this work: Next steps include using this data to investigate whether clavicular fracture cases presenting to the ED are more severe or more likely to require surgery compared to those seen in outpatient settings. We also aim to identify how many cases go untreated and explore whether specific injury patterns or treatment settings correlate with better long-term outcomes. This will help refine clinical decision-making and improve care strategies for pediatric clavicular fractures.

Quotes:

“Our review of recent national data on pediatric clavicle fractures demonstrates that among younger children, there has been an increase in bed-related falls causing clavicular fractures,” says Dr. Ranade. “Just as there has been a strong emphasis on safe sleep for infants, this study shows that attention should be placed in safe sleeping environments for toddler aged children to prevent falls out of bed.”

“Understanding common mechanisms like sports injuries and falls from beds can help guide targeted prevention strategies and parent education,” says Ms. Jain. “I would like to thank the Mount Sinai Department of Orthopedics for their support, our co-authors for their contributions, and Dr. Ranade for her guidance and mentorship throughout this project.”

About the Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.

Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report‘s® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2024-2025.

For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

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