A smart stethoscope powered by artificial intelligence (AI) can now help doctors detect three serious heart problems in just 15 seconds.
This exciting new tool was tested in the real world and presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s meeting in Madrid. The full study was also published in the medical journal BMJ Open.
The traditional stethoscope, invented in 1816, is still widely used to listen to heart and lung sounds. But this new AI-enabled version goes beyond human hearing. It not only listens to heart sounds but also takes a fast heart test (ECG) and uses AI to spot early signs of problems that might go unnoticed.
Researchers from Imperial College London and NHS doctors in London ran a large study in over 200 general practice (GP) clinics, involving more than 1.5 million patients. They wanted to know if this smart stethoscope could help find heart failure earlier, when patients came to the doctor with symptoms like tiredness or trouble breathing.
They found that patients who were examined using the AI stethoscope were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart failure. These patients were also 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm issue that raises stroke risk. They were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with heart valve disease too.
Catching these conditions early is very important. It allows doctors to begin treatment before a person becomes dangerously sick. The AI stethoscope is quick and easy to use, making it a helpful tool in everyday doctor visits.
The AI device is small, about the size of a playing card. It records sounds from the heart and measures electrical signals.
This data is sent to a secure cloud system, where it’s checked by smart computer programs trained to recognize patterns from tens of thousands of patients. The results are sent straight back to a phone, telling the doctor if the patient is likely to have heart problems.
In total, over 12,000 patients across 96 GP clinics in London were checked with the AI stethoscope. Their outcomes were compared to patients in 109 clinics who didn’t use the device. People examined with the smart stethoscope were 2.33 times more likely to be diagnosed with heart failure within a year.
Even though the device performed well, there are challenges. About 70% of the GP clinics stopped using the device or used it less often after one year. Researchers say it’s important to make it easier for doctors to include this tool in their daily routine.
Also, not all patients flagged by the AI had heart failure. Around two-thirds turned out not to have it after further tests. While this may lead to extra testing and worry for some people, it also means others who might have been missed got the help they needed.
The researchers say the AI stethoscope should only be used for patients with symptoms like shortness of breath, tiredness, or swollen legs—not for general checks in healthy people.
This study is one of the first large-scale tests of AI technology in family doctor clinics in the UK. The results show that combining AI with everyday medical tools could improve care and catch serious problems earlier.
Experts like Professor Nicholas Peters and Dr. Mihir Kelshiker believe this tool can help doctors act faster and save lives. While more work is needed to make it easier for doctors to use, the future looks bright for this smart stethoscope.
The study is published in BMJ Open.
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