Innovative medical device developed in Israel uses AI to diagnose cardiac problems

Entrepreneurial Israeli physicians at Sheba Medical Center outside of Tel Aviv have reportedly developed a cutting-edge device that uses artificial intelligence to diagnose heart-related problems within minutes.

The new innovative device, developed by the Israeli startup AISAP in cooperation with Sheba's ARC Innovation Project, is based on a handheld ultrasound probe and a digital tablet. Because time is essential for detecting heart diseases, the new Israeli device could potentially save many lives.

Prof. Robert Klempfner, AISAP’s co-founder and chief medical officer, says there are numerous situations where non-cardiologists are increasingly able to manage patients with cardiac problems.

“There are a lot of scenarios today where a non-cardiologist is managing a cardiac patient. It could be on the internal medicine floor, in the emergency department, in the intensive care unit or in an outpatient setting. These physicians need rapid answers,” Klempfner said.

The professor stressed that the new AI device is designed as a complementary solution but is not a substitute for existing heart-related treatments.

“We’re not trying to replace the full echo study. That’s a 60-minute study done by an expert technician and interpreted by a cardiologist, but we did want to find a way to answer key clinical questions and provide the core information that’s needed in a five to 7-minute exam,” he explained.

The speed of obtaining crucial information is not the only advantage of the new AI-based device. The Israeli professor says the treatment is cost-efficient compared to more expensive approaches.

“The handheld scanner probe — whether it is manufactured by GE, Siemens, Philips, Butterfly or the like — costs $2,500 to $6,000, a fraction of the cost of a full echo-cardiology machine,” stated Klempfner.

There are currently some 620 million people worldwide who live with heart- and circulation-related diseases, according to a newly-released British Heart Foundation report. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that cardiovascular diseases are the leading global cause of death, responsible for 17.9 million lives each year.