A team of Australian scientists has developed an AI tool capable of predicting women’s heart health risks using routine mammogram images. The images, traditionally used to detect breast cancer, are now helping researchers forecast the likelihood of hospitalisation or death from heart failure and other cardiac issues over the next decade.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
The innovation, spearheaded by The George Institute for Global Health and several Australian universities, aims to close the gap in women’s heart health screenings. Many women are either unaware of their cardiovascular risks. Others lack access to screening programs. Globally, cardiovascular diseases account for roughly 35% of deaths among women, making this a pressing health concern.
Clare Arnott, Global Director of Cardiovascular Programmes at The George Institute, explained the tool’s potential impact. “It’s a common misconception that heart disease predominantly affects men, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment in women. By integrating screenings for heart disease and breast cancer, we can identify and potentially prevent two leading causes of illness and death simultaneously,” she said.
The tool was tested on data from more than 49,000 women, with results published in the journal Heart. When compared with traditional models that require detailed patient data like blood pressure and cholesterol levels, this AI solution matched their accuracy. The breakthrough is that it works without additional patient information. This makes it easier and less resource-intensive to deploy.
Dr. Jennifer Barraclough, a co-author of the study, highlighted its value in regions with limited healthcare resources. She referenced rural Australia, where mobile mammography units already provide breast cancer screenings. Integrating this AI tool could allow these same services to also assess cardiovascular risks, expanding critical care to underserved populations.
Barraclough added, “We have demonstrated the potential of this innovative screening tool. Our next step is to test it across diverse populations and identify any barriers to large-scale implementation.”
TF Summary: What’s Next
The AI tool can improve women’s preventive healthcare. The tool combines breast cancer and heart disease screening into a single, streamlined process. The research team plans to expand testing globally. Furthermore, the team is now working on the tool’s accessibiltiy, especially in under-resourced areas. With acceptance and wide adoption, the AI screener can save countless lives by catching heart risks early via common screenings women already undergo.
MY FORECAST: This AI tool is in the global conversation about integrated screening programs. It pushes governments and healthcare providers to rethink routine tests used to prevent multiple life-threatening diseases.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech