The Artificial Intelligence-Enhanced Echocardiographic Detection of Congenital Heart Defects in the Fetus: A Mini-Review.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Publication Title

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly gaining attention in radiology and cardiology for accurately diagnosing structural heart disease. In this review paper, we first outline the technical background of AI and echocardiography and then present an array of clinical applications, including image quality control, cardiac function measurements, defect detection, and classifications. Collectively, we answer how integrating AI technologies and echocardiography can help improve the detection of congenital heart defects. Particularly, the superior sensitivity of AI-based congenital heart defect (CHD) detection in the fetus (>90%) allows it to be potentially translated into the clinical workflow as an effective screening tool in an obstetric setting. However, the current AI technologies still have many limitations, and more technological developments are required to enable these AI technologies to reach their full potential. Also, integrating diagnostic AI technologies into the clinical workflow should resolve ethical concerns. Otherwise, deploying diagnostic AI may not address low-resource populations' healthcare access disadvantages. Instead, it will further exacerbate the access disparities. We envision that, through the combination of tele-echocardiography and AI, low-resource medical facilities may gain access to the effective detection of CHD at the prenatal stage.

Volume

61

Issue

4

First Page

561

Last Page

561

Comments

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

DOI

10.3390/medicina61040561

ISSN

1648-9144

PubMed ID

40282852

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