AI signals babies at risk of sight-threatening disease

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fast-tracked the approval of artificial intelligence technology that helps to identify babies who are at risk of aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (AP-ROP).

The condition is the most severe form of retinopathy of prematurity with a significant proportion of cases progressing to retinal detachment.

Presenting their research in Ophthalmology, scientists highlighted that babies with AP-ROP are born younger and develop the disease earlier than infants with less severe forms of retinopathy of prematurity.  

Lead investigator, Dr J Peter Campbell, highlighted that artificial intelligence has the potential to help recognise babies with AP-ROP earlier.

“It also provides the foundation for quantitative metrics to help us better understand AP-ROP pathophysiology,” he emphasised.

The deep learning system used in the clinical trial, i-ROP DL, has been granted breakthrough status by the FDA. This status accelerates its development and review by the organisation.