## What the ultrasound test will not show After analyzing the videos of echocardiograms, the algorithms developed by the company Ultromics and Oxford University were able to assess the functioning of the heart muscle and detect signs of [COVID-19](https://ul.orna.me/KOge/librarydisease?id=221) damage, which are related to higher mortality rate both inside the hospital and in the months following treatment. Normally, the strength of the heart is measured using the ejection fraction or the proportion of blood as a percentage expelled from the heart with each beat. However, this percentage can remain within the norm despite higher muscle strain or can change following arterial pressure. Additionally, the interpretation of measurements can vary depending on how the test is administered. Instead, mapping the structure of the heart with a grid of points and tracking the movement of the ventricles at each twist, squeeze and contraction have allowed the AI to identify the patterns of muscle weakness. The report, presented during the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology, has shown that the changes in the shape of the left and right ventricles, as well as the age of patients and history of lung diseases, allows for predicting the chances of developing a severe form of COVID-19 and a higher risk of death in the hospital. ## The scale of the research The conclusions were based on the data of 870 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in several countries. Almost half of them received intensive care, while 27 % were placed on a ventilator. 188 patients died in hospital, and 50 of them died within three to six months after hospitalization. The AI algorithms were found to be more accurate in predicting severe cases than a group of experts trained in reading echocardiograms. ## Assisting doctors At the beginning of the year, Ultromics obtained FDA approval to apply its AI-based software to help doctors diagnose ischemic heart disease. Ultromics’ cloud app EchoGo Pro automatically determines cardiac function and analyzes the strain on the heart muscle's walls. The FDA has also approved cardiac devices from Philips, Eko, and Caption Health, all of which can help medics detect heart damage from COVID-19. __Sources__: Fierce Biotech