AI-HEART: AI-driven Cardiac Handheld Ultrasound for GPs
AI-HEART is a new public-private partnership between Radboudumc, Ardim, and Praesens, aiming to revolutionise heart failure monitoring in primary care. The project will develop and validate an AI-powered, handheld ultrasound device and smartphone app that allows general practitioners (GPs) to assess left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)—a key measure for heart failure—directly in their practice, without the need for extensive training or expensive equipment.
Heart failure is a major health challenge, affecting over 200,000 people in the Netherlands and placing a heavy burden on patients and the healthcare system. Currently, GPs must refer patients to hospitals for specialist ultrasound exams, leading to long waiting times, delayed treatment, and unnecessary referrals. Early and accurate monitoring of LVEF is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes, but current solutions are not accessible or affordable for primary care. There is a clear need for a user-friendly, cost-effective, and scalable diagnostic tool.
The AI-HEART project will combine a novel, electronically steerable handheld ultrasound probe with advanced AI algorithms for real-time image guidance and automated LVEF quantification. The system will guide GPs to acquire the correct cardiac images and instantly analyse them, providing reliable results at the point of care. The approach includes development, clinical validation, and integration with existing GP workflows, in collaboration with the Department of Family Medicine at Maastricht University to ensure broad adoption.
The main deliverables are a validated AI-driven handheld ultrasound system, CE-ready software for LVEF quantification, and a roadmap for implementation in Dutch primary care. These results will enable faster, more accurate heart failure monitoring, reduce hospital referrals, and improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
