Butterfly IQ and patients.
A sort of study published in New England Journal of Medicine It was found in late March that when combined with AI, butterfly network A handheld ultrasound device – the Butterfly iQ – can help midwives determine fetal gestational age as accurately as a trained sonographer.
This is a data point, but it shows the overall potential of AI to transform healthcare, in this case, by popularizing ultrasound access in low-resource settings.
The study recruited 4,695 pregnant volunteers from two sites in Zambia and North Carolina between September 2018 and June last year. Funding for this research came from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The National Institutes of Health and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine provided resources for this research. Ultrasound probes for research studies are provided by the Butterfly Network. The funders of this study were not involved in data collection, analysis, study design, interpretation of results, or preparation of the manuscript.
Low-resource settings often do not have access to expensive and bulky ultrasound equipment, nor access to trained sonographers to interpret ultrasound. This is problematic because assessment of fetal age by ultrasound is a critical component of providing quality prenatal care. Therefore, the authors created and trained a “neural network to estimate gestational age from scans and to evaluate the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) models and biometrics based on previously determined gestational age in three test datasets.”
Data collected from the study showed that after analyzing ultrasound scans — some of which were performed using Butterfly iQ — AI could determine gestational age with an accuracy comparable to that of a trained sonographer using standard biometrics. This level of accuracy between AI and trained sonographers persists even when using low-cost portable ultrasound equipment: Butterfly Network Devices in Guildford, Connecticut, Butterfly IQ.
Butterfly IQ
“Equipped with a pocket butterfly probe and a smartphone, Zambian midwives can assess gestational age as accurately as certified sonographers using expensive machines without prior training in sonography,” said Joni Price, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UNC who led the study.Study and live full-time in Zambia Press Releases“This has the potential to revolutionize obstetric care services in places like Zambia.”
The study pointed out that in this case, it is difficult to obtain expensive ultrasound equipment, let alone personnel trained in data interpretation. For example, women in sub-Saharan Africa typically don’t have their first ultrasound until 23 weeks of pregnancy, while in the United States, women don’t have their first ultrasound until 8 weeks, the report noted.
As such, the Butterfly iQ offers a potential way to address this care gap, as well as a viable way to try to democratize obstetric ultrasound, the report said.
“Prior to this important study, access to low-cost imaging equipment and expertise to perform scans were challenging hurdles to overcome in low-resource care settings. In terms of identifying risk and prioritizing care, the findings of this study are Millions of mothers bring hope,” John Martin, chief medical officer of Butterfly Network, said in a news release. “The findings also reinforce our belief that, when equipped with the right tools, mid-level practitioners can significantly improve outcomes and raise standards of care.”
Pregnant women can generally benefit from the power of hand-held ultrasound devices combined with artificial intelligence.
“To the modern obstetrician, ultrasound is like a stethoscope. We use it every day. These results portend the diagnostic benefits of obstetric ultrasound for all pregnant women – not just those living in wealthy countries – in the future. ,” said Jeff Stringer, associate director of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. Project concept, in press release.
Image source: Butterfly Network
