A randomized trial found that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in clinical decision-making for heart ultrasounds is not significantly different from current practices in identifying patients with suspected heart disease who may benefit from invasive investigation and treatment. However, the study showed that AI improved decision making for less-experienced clinicians and had promising results in clinically complex sub-groups. The integration of AI in healthcare holds promise for faster and more accurate diagnosis, according to lead author Dr. Ross Upton from the University of Oxford.

The study enrolled patients referred to stress echocardiography (SE) clinics for assessment of suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). The AI software, EchoGo Pro, provided automated interpretation of SE images to clinicians. While AI did not demonstrate non-inferiority to clinical decision-making overall, it showed potential benefits for less-experienced clinicians and in challenging diagnostic scenarios.