AI measures heart function in seconds in 27,000-patient study

Imagine a heart scan analysed in about three seconds instead of many minutes. A large retrospective study in The Lancet Digital Health looked at 27,382 patients who had cardiac MRI at centres in the UK and the USA, and tested whether artificial intelligence could measure heart pumping function as well as clinicians.

Over a median follow-up of 5.6 years, 13 percent of patients died. AI-derived ejection fraction predicted all-cause death slightly better than clinician measurements, with a C-index of 0.669 versus 0.637 before adjustment, and 0.781 versus 0.777 after adjusting for age and sex. AI took roughly three to four seconds per patient.

Clinician segmentation had taken a median of 13 minutes in earlier work. Several authors disclosed financial ties to MycardiumAI, and the study was retrospective, so prospective trials remain important. Would you trust an AI-assisted heart check if your doctor confirmed the result? Tell us what reassurance you would want. Tell us below.