New AI scan of chest muscle detects risk of heart failure and death
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have developed an AI tool that analyzes chest muscle mass to predict risks of heart failure and death. The study suggests that sarcopenic obesity is a significant health indicator for older adults.
Why it matters
This AI-driven diagnostic tool offers a more accurate way to identify high-risk patients compared to traditional metrics like BMI.
LONDON : AI scans that measure the size of a person’s chest muscles could help doctors pinpoint patients at risk of heart failure or death.
Researchers used the technology to identify those with sarcopenia, an age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength.
The condition is common in older people with health problems, but is rarely diagnosed as accurate measurements require specialised scans, leaving doctors to use simpler scores such as body mass index.
To overcome this, experts at Queen Mary, University of London developed a tool to give patients a sarcopenic obesity index, which is calculated using a person’s weight and size of the pectoral muscles in the chest.
To get a score, a person’s weight in kilograms is divided by their pectoral muscle mass in grams.
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