Google: Heart risk detected in artificial intelligence eye scan

Google is using artificial intelligence (AI) to predict whether someone is a risk of a heart attack.

A company subsidiary, Verily, found that using scans of the back of a patient’s eye can determine age, cholesterol and cardiac risk factors, Dr. Marc Siegel told FOX Business’ Ashley Webster on “Varney & Co.”

Scientists gathered information from 250,000 retinas to determine the risk of developing heart disease, heart attack or a stroke over a five-year period and were able to make detection quicker and easier by 70%.  The findings were published in the journal Biomedical Engineering.

“This is kind of ‘Blade Runner’ for the heart,” said Siegel, referring to the focus on artificial intelligence in the movie “Blade Runner 2049.”

Siegel added that early detection is “hugely important” because it can help prevent heart attacks. 

“People will actually react to fear,” Siegel said.

Google’s scanners will need more testing before being used, but you can expect to see the scanners in doctors’ offices within a year or two, Siegel predicts.