AI Algorithm Developed to Measure Muscle Development, Provide Growth Chart for Children
Published:05 Dec.2023 Source:Brigham and Women Hospital
Leveraging artificial intelligence and the largest pediatric brain MRI dataset to date, researchers have now developed a growth chart for tracking muscle mass in growing children. The new study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, found that their artificial intelligence-based tool is the first to offer a standardized, accurate, and reliable way to assess and track indicators of muscle mass on routine MRI.
The thickness of this muscle has been difficult to measure in real-time in the clinic and there was no way to diagnose normal from abnormal thickness. To address this, the research team applied their deep learning pipeline to MRI scans of patients with pediatric brain tumors treated at Boston Children's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in collaboration with Boston Children's Radiology Department.
They found that iTMT is accurate for a wide range of patients and is comparable to the analysis of trained human experts. In essence, the new method could be used to assess patients who are already receiving routine brain MRIs that track medical conditions such as pediatric cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.