A new study published in JMIR Cardio reveals the amazing potential of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the analysis of coronary angiography, a common diagnostic procedure for coronary artery disease. Led by Dr. In Tae Moon, the study, conducted at Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital, South Korea, demonstrates the power of AI-based quantitative coronary angiography (AI-QCA) to enhance clinical decision-making. .
This study compared AI-QCA with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to validate its performance. IVUS is a widely used imaging tool to assess coronary stenotic lesions. Simply put, these lesions can cause narrowing of the coronary arteries, restricting blood flow to the heart. The analysis included 54 significant lesions from his 47 patients who underwent IVUS-guided coronary intervention. The researchers found that AI-QCA, like his IVUS, provided accurate and consistent measurements of coronary stenotic lesions, suggesting that it can be safely used in clinical practice.
AI-QCA analysis was performed using MPXA-2000 (Medipixel), a newly developed software that uses algorithms aimed to mimic the QCA process by human experts. AI-enabled QCA automatically analyzes his 2D angiography image to help the physician determine the optimal stent size. Therefore, this technology has the potential to improve patient outcomes and support clinical decision-making. “We believe this new tool will give treating physicians confidence and help them make the best clinical decisions,” stressed the study’s first author, Dr. Moon.
AI-QCA offers an innovative approach to analyzing coronary angiography images, providing automated real-time insights. This study marks an important step in the application of AI to improve cardiovascular care. Although this study has promising results, further studies are needed to fully investigate the clinical utility and safety of AI-QCA.
