Reston, VA-An advanced artificial intelligence technique known as deep learning can predict major adverse cardiac events more accurately than current standard imaging protocols, according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2021 Annual Meeting. Utilizing data from a registry of more than 20,000 patients, researchers developed a novel deep learning network that has the potential to provide patients with an individualized prediction of their annualized risk for adverse events such as heart attack or death.

Deep learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that mimics the workings of the human brain to process data. Deep learning algorithms use multiple layers of “neurons,” or non-linear processing units, to learn representations and identify latent features relevant to a specific task, making sense of multiple types of data. It can be used for tasks such as predicting cardiovascular disease and segmenting lungs, among others.

The study utilized information from the largest available multicenter SPECT dataset, the “REgistry of Fast myocardial perfusion Imaging with NExt generation SPECT” (REFINE SPECT), with 20,401 patients. All patients in the registry underwent SPECT MPI, and a deep learning network was used to score them on how likely they were to experience a major adverse cardiac event during the follow-up period. Subjects were followed for an average of 4.7 years.

The deep learning network highlighted regions of the heart that were associated with risk of major adverse cardiac events and provided a risk score in less than one second during testing. Patients with the highest deep learning scores had an annual major adverse cardiac event rate of 9.7 percent, a 10.2-fold increased risk compared to patients with the lowest scores.

“These findings show that artificial intelligence could be incorporated in standard clinical workstations to assist physicians in accurate and fast risk assessment of patients undergoing SPECT MPI scans,” said Ananya Singh, MS, a research software engineer in the S­­­lomka Lab at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. “This work signifies the potential advantage of incorporating artificial intelligence techniques in standard imaging protocols to assist readers with risk stratification.”

Abstract 50. “­­­­Improved risk assessment of myocardial SPECT using deep learning: report from REFINE SPECT registry,” Ananya Singh, Yuka Otaki, Paul Kavanagh, Serge Van Kriekinge, Wei Chih-Chun, Tejas Parekh, Joanna Liang, Damini Dey, Daniel Berman and Piotr Slomka, Department of Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; Robert Miller, Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Department of Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; Tali Sharir, Department of Nuclear Cardiology, Assuta Medical Centers, Tel Aviv, and Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba, Israel; Andrew Einstein, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Department of Radiology, Columbia University, Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York; Mathews Fish, Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute, Sacred Heart Medical Center, Springfield, Oregon; Terrence Ruddy, Division of Cardiology, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Philipp Kaufmann, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cardiac Imaging, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Albert Sinusas and Edward Miller, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut; Timothy Bateman, Department of Imaging, Cardiovascular Imaging Technologies LLC, Kansas City, Missouri; Sharmila Dorbala and Marcelo Di Carli, Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

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Businesses experienced the merits of virtual events first-hand, thanks to artificial intelligence.

Since the time coronavirus gripped our lives, artificial intelligence has played a key role in facilitating the work-from-home and also the leisure-from-home culture. From online meetings, virtual events, press releases, product launches, and client conferences,  AI made sure we stayed sane in the most uncertain times.

2020 saw a big shift in the way businesses work. In a way, businesses took the most hit and stole all the spotlight when technology proved to be the savior for not just businesses but also governments by helping everyone stay connected. Online events, conferences, and webinars continued to become increasingly popular with businesses and the general public rapidly adopting collaboration tools like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc. 2020 brought the focus on online event platforms to organize, plan, and execute virtual meetings, exhibitions, and whatnot. Though this was an emergency last resort, it proved to be effective, more than traditional methods in some ways as it added value like cost savings, measurable ROI, and quick audience insights. These events also saw the overall audience experience improve drastically with several engagement interventions and immersive virtual 3D elements.

More Power To Artificial Intelligence

According to a market report by Grand View Research, the virtual events market worldwide stood at $77.98 billion in 2019 and grew at such a rapid rate in 2020 that it is expected to hit the mark of $404 billion by 2027. As the world is still being struck by the pandemic, several industries like IT, retail, healthcare, automotive, and education have actively transitioned to hosting virtual events. Activities like internal training, press releases, product launches, team meetings, etc. are taking the virtual route and it’s slowly becoming a norm rather than an exception.

With artificial intelligence driving virtual events, AI bots are facilitating virtual companionship for audiences, improved customer engagement, personalized experience, and increase in demand. For example, companies can use machine learning technology to observe and learn behavior patterns of engagement.

Virtual Events In The Future

Before COVID-19, around 40% of the total market spend was allotted to physical events. But as the global environment for businesses became increasingly challenging due to COVID-19, on-ground event spends saw a drastic decline as companies welcomed virtual events. Many businesses believe that events will continue to be a big part of their growth and about 80% of marketers claim that businesses are more supportive of online events because adoption of technology is no longer a barrier but a necessity.

As artificial intelligence continues to power virtual event platforms, companies are leveraging the advantage of data and analytics to add value to their work. Seeing ROI improving and leads getting generated in bigger numbers is resulting in better market presence and industry standing. The trajectory of the events industry suggests that virtual events are being perceived as a viable alternative for C-level executives as it saves them travel time and cost.

Another advantage of virtual events that are here to stay is accessibility. With platforms compatible with all devices, events can be experienced and hosted from anywhere. This opens up many opportunities for virtual event marketers and companies who have started to conduct internal events online. The healthcare industry and pharmaceutical industry are using virtual event platforms to host medical conferences that are used for knowledge sharing, networking sharing, training, and discussions.

Augmented reality, virtual reality, and intelligence AI-driven bots are extracting maximum data from virtual events which are proving to be a gold mine. This is making virtual events more streamlined, focused, targeted, and personalized to deliver experiences that are just perfect.

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