NHS heart patients to recieve quicker diagnosis due to Sheffield University and Teaching Hospitals innovation

Harry Harrison
By Harry Harrison
Published 29th Dec 2022, 07:06 BST
Updated 29th Dec 2022, 07:06 BST
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NHS patients in Sheffield could receive improved care thanks to a “pioneering” new tool which could lead to faster heart diagnoses.

The tool uses artificial intelligence to provide quick and comprehensive analysis of the hearts function following MRI heart scans. Developers at Sheffield University and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals say the tool can perform previously lengthy, manual analysis within seconds.

Dr Andrew Swift, a Consultant Cardiothoracic Radiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Senior Lecturer at Sheffield University, said: “Getting answers quickly and accurately will reduce even further the time it takes for patients to begin receiving the right treatment.

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“It has the potential to free up hospital staff to deal with more patients rather than spend time on image analysis. This is an excellent example of innovation from within the NHS and a proud legacy of the clinical and technical expertise we have here in Sheffield.”

The technology has been developed by Dr Andrew Swift, Dr Samer Alabed, Dr Kavita Karunasagaraar and Dr Pete Metherall with support from MRI radiographers and clinical scientists at the Sheffield 3D-lab and in collaboration with Dr Rob van der Geest at Leiden University.The technology has been developed by Dr Andrew Swift, Dr Samer Alabed, Dr Kavita Karunasagaraar and Dr Pete Metherall with support from MRI radiographers and clinical scientists at the Sheffield 3D-lab and in collaboration with Dr Rob van der Geest at Leiden University.
The technology has been developed by Dr Andrew Swift, Dr Samer Alabed, Dr Kavita Karunasagaraar and Dr Pete Metherall with support from MRI radiographers and clinical scientists at the Sheffield 3D-lab and in collaboration with Dr Rob van der Geest at Leiden University.

Researchers have said the tool has a high degree of accuracy, which is “comparable, if not superior” to manual analysis in most cases. The current process requires staff to first draw contours onto the images and then undertake complex calculations to work out how the heart is functioning, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive.

The new tools’ performance was tested on over 5,000 anonymised patient scans at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and then further tested on scans from over 30 hospitals in the UK. The team behind it is now hoping to make it available to the wider NHS.

Professor Wendy Tindale OBE, Director of Innovation at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said they trust has a “long and proud history of pioneering new research and innovation” and they are “delighted” with the outcome.

Related topics:NHSSheffield Teaching HospitalsSheffield