Oxford AI Predicts Heart Failure Risk

Researchers at the University of Oxford, led by Professor Charalambos Antoniades and funded by the British Heart Foundation, have developed an artificial intelligence tool that can predict the risk of heart failure up to five years before its onset. This AI analyzes routine cardiac CT scans to detect subtle, invisible textural changes in the fat around the heart, indicating inflammation and unhealthy heart muscle. The tool demonstrated 86% accuracy in predicting five-year risk in a study of 72,000 patients across nine United Kingdom===National Health Service trusts in England. Patients identified as high-risk were 20 times more likely to develop heart failure. Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan of the British Heart Foundation emphasized the tool's potential for earlier diagnosis and better management of the condition. The team is seeking regulatory approval to roll out this technology across the United Kingdom===National Health Service, with plans to expand its application to any chest CT scan.