Professor Axel Diederichsen, Odense Universitets Hospital og Syddansk Universitet, som er en af forskerne bag forskningsprojektet DETECT-AI.

Artificial intelligence should significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

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March 14. 2025

In a new research project, researchers from Odense University Hospital and the University of Southern Denmark will develop an artificial intelligence that can identify asymptomatic people with severe atherosclerosis who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. This will enable preventive treatment and potentially reduce disability and death in up to 1000 people each year. Innovation Fund Denmark is investing 15.2 million kroner in the project called DETECT-AI.

 

Every year, approximately 66,000 Danes are affected by cardiovascular diseases, and one in five Danes dies due to cardiovascular diseases. Although prevention is possible, it requires accurate risk assessments, and current methods are inadequate.

 

Atherosclerosis is an important and early marker of heart disease and can be measured on chest CT scans. However, atherosclerosis is not routinely reported in the 325,000 CT scans performed annually in Denmark due to resource, technical and financial barriers.

Advances in artificial intelligence offer a solution, believes Professor Axel Diederichsen, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, who is one of the researchers behind the research project DETECT-AI.

- Artificial intelligence has the potential to automate complex image assessments that could previously only be performed by healthcare professionals, making measurements of atherosclerosis on a large scale possible. The DETECT-AI project aims to develop an artificial intelligence for automatic measurement of atherosclerosis, says Axel Diederichsen.

By integrating the results with data from the Danish Health Registers, the project will identify asymptomatic individuals with severe untreated disease who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

In addition to the personal costs of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease represents a significant and increasing burden on the Danish healthcare system and society. DETECT-AI expects to be able to identify around 20,000 asymptomatic individuals annually, enabling preventive treatment and potentially reducing disability and death in 1000 people each year. This translates into annual healthcare savings of 100 million kroner.

The research project DETECT-AI consists of researchers from Department of Cardiology B at OUH, SDU Applied AI and Data Science (SDU-AID), Department of Radiology at OUH, and the Danish Center for Health Economics (DaCHE) at SDU and has just received a Grand Solutions investment of DKK 15.2 million from Innovation Fund Denmark.

Facts

  • Innovation Fund's investment: DKK 15.2 million.
  • Odense University Hospital: 2.4 million DKK.
  • University of Southern Denmark: 2.7 million DKK.
  • Total budget: DKK 20.3 million.
  • Duration: 5 years

 

About the partners

Cardiology Department B, Odense University Hospital (OUH)

The Department of Cardiology and the associated CT laboratory at Odense University Hospital have the leading international expertise to initiate and conduct pragmatic randomized clinical trials based on cardiac CT scans. The project is in line with the hospital's research strategy "Patient Care of the Future".

 

SDU Applied AI and Data Science (SDU-AID), The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark

SDU-AID focuses on the application of artificial intelligence and data science to advance research and deliver data-driven solutions within the medical sector. Over the past 10 years, we have established strong partnerships with hospitals (including OUH) and companies, both in Denmark and abroad. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are strategic focus areas for SDU.

 

Department of Radiology, Odense University Hospital

Helps ensure development and quality in the treatment and diagnostics of patients across specialties through research with a focus on imaging diagnostics.

 

Danish Center for Health Economics (DaCHE) Institute for Health Services Research (IST), University of Southern Denmark

At DaCHE we study the behavior and well-being of citizens, patients and healthcare professionals. We are experts in health economic evaluation and collaborate with clinical researchers and stakeholders in assessing the health impacts and resource consequences of new clinical interventions. We contribute to public and political debates by establishing evidence for new initiatives in healthcare: resource use, costs, well-being and health outcomes.