Screening Tools

Identified Problem

A significant number of Singaporeans die from heart attacks or strokes, and many also suffer from conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and hypolipidemia, which increase the risk of cardiovascular events. Current cardiovascular risk assessments, such as the Framingham and ASCVD scores, use traditional health information that may not accurately reflect underlying cardiovascular status, making them less precise. Cardiac CT scans are more accurate but have limitations, including radiation exposure, long wait times, and high costs. There is a need for more accessible, cost-effective and accurate methods for assessing cardiovascular risk.

AI Solution

Two AI-powered screening tools, Retical and CBA DLS, are designed to assess cardiovascular risk using retinal images. These tools analyze changes in retinal blood vessels, which are indicative of cardiovascular health due to their similar embryonic origin to the cardiovascular and neurological systems.

Key Features

• Retical predicts the probability of coronary artery calcium presence from retinal fundus images.
• CBA DLS automatically measures retinal vessel caliber from fundus images.
• Both tools utilize ocular imaging, which is a non-invasive method that allows for direct visualization of blood vessels.
• The tools also incorporate user demographics, medical history, and lifestyle to personalize risk stratification.
• AI algorithms are used to analyze retinal images and predict cardiovascular disease risk.

Benefits of AI Solution

• Non-invasive and easy to administer, using retinal images.
• Provides a cost-effective solution for assessing cardiovascular risk.
• Enables early identification of patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
• May lead to reduced mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease through early intervention.
• Can be implemented across national screening programs.

Impact of AI Solution

• Allows for more precise risk stratification for cardiovascular disease by incorporating retinal image analysis.
• High-risk patients identified by the AI tools will receive follow-up care and management, such as optimized medical therapy or further functional and anatomical testing.
• Patients with a high risk of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy will receive specialized care at a DMC retina clinic.
• Has the potential to improve healthy aging, disease management, and reduce cardiovascular morbidity.