Artificial intelligence technology can be used to detect potential deadly blood clots before going on strike.
According to scientists at the University of Tokyo, they said they created a non-invasive way to observe blood clotting activity in the blood.
Researchers shared new AI tools to monitor platelets in real-time in the university’s press release.
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Platelets are small blood cells that help form blood clots to stop bleeding and play a "critical role" in heart disease, especially coronary artery disease, especially coronary artery disease, said lead author of the study.
If the platelet count is too high, it may increase the risk of blood clots.
Scientists at the University of Tokyo have discovered a non-invasive method to observe blood coagulation activity in the blood. (iStock)
To prevent dangerous clots, patients with coronary artery disease usually receive antiserum medication.
"However, accurately assessing the working status of these drugs in each person remains challenging, making monitoring platelet activity an important goal for doctors and researchers," Hirose said in a press release.
Traditional methods for monitoring platelet activity often rely on indirect measurements or invasive procedures.
With AI tools, high-power microscopes work like "a super-high-speed camera that takes vivid photos of blood cells in flowing," said Yuqi Zhou, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Tokyo.
Physicians say AI has changed the care of patients and reduced burnout.
“Just like a traffic camera captures every car on the road, our microscope captures thousands of images of blood cells every second,” he said. “We then use artificial intelligence to analyze these images.”
Zhou described that AI can distinguish a single platelet (“like a car”), a ball of platelets (“like traffic jams”), and even markings along the white blood cells (“like a police car captured in jam”).
"Currently, doctors often give blood-diluted medications and hope they are working. Using this method, they can actually see if the treatment works."
"This technology stands out because it allows doctors to directly observe platelets in the blood and measure their interactions and clumps in real time," said Keisuke Goda, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Tokyo.
"Our research shows that it is very effective in patients with coronary artery disease, which is the most common cause of heart attacks and one of the leading causes of death in the United States and the world," he added.
The traditional methods for monitoring platelet activity often rely on indirect measurements or invasive procedures, the researchers said. (iStock)
When researchers tested the technology on more than 200 patients, they found that people with more heart problems had increased blood.
They noted that blood samples taken from the patient's arms and tested with the tool, and the results were the same as blood taken directly from the heart artery.
Harvey Castro, an emergency physician and AI expert in Texas, described the impact as the importance of patient care.
"Today, we rely on indirect lab markers or invasive Cath-Lab blood to judge Clot risk," Castro, who is not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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“This technology turns ordinary venous absorption into a field telemetry of platelet behavior, giving the answer in seconds rather than hours.”
The researchers say these advances have the potential to change the standard of care for patients with coronary heart disease.
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"Usually, if a doctor wants to understand what is going on in the arteries, especially the coronary artery, they need to have invasive surgery, such as inserting a catheter through the wrist or groin to collect blood," Hirose said.
In studies that studied the effectiveness of the tool, routine blood tests in the arms showed the same results as blood obtained directly from the heart artery. (iStock)
“We found that taking a conventional blood sample from the veins of the arm alone still provides meaningful information about arterial platelet activity.”
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Goda agrees that the tool can provide safer and more personalized treatments for heart patients.
"At the moment, doctors often give bloody medications and hope they are working," he said. "Using this method, they can actually see if the treatment for each patient is effective."
Castro warned that the technology is not ready for widespread use.
"Microscopes are cutting-edge research equipment and don't have bedside equipment yet," he told Fox News Digital. "We need to miniaturize and reduce costs before using it."
“We found that taking a conventional blood sample from the veins of the arm alone still provides meaningful information about arterial platelet activity.” (iStock)
After further research, Castro envisions that such innovations could change patient point-of-care decisions.
"Five years from now on, I can imagine a point-of-care analyzer that adjusts antiplatelet drugs and how I can quickly and safely titrate oxygen to the patients in front of me."