Mammograms Now Screen Heart Health

FEATURED RESEARCH

Mammograms Go Beyond Cancer, AI Helps Identify Heart Risks Too

Millions of women get mammograms each year to screen for breast cancer, but these scans may soon do more. Researchers have developed an AI-powered method that turns standard mammograms into effective screening tools for heart disease.

A new role for mammograms: Each year, around 40 million mammograms are performed in the U.S., primarily to detect breast cancer. But these same scans also capture images of breast arteries, where calcium buildup, an early sign of heart disease, is visible but rarely reported.

Using advanced AI, researchers at Emory University and Mayo Clinic created a method to automatically identify and measure arterial calcification from mammogram images.

The AI then translates this information into a clear cardiovascular risk score.

Why this matters: Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the U.S., but it often goes undiagnosed.

The AI model, trained on data from over 56,000 mammograms, accurately predicts cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.

It’s particularly effective for women under 60, where early intervention can make a significant difference.

Women with high levels of breast artery calcification were nearly three times more likely to experience a serious cardiovascular event within five years compared to those with low calcification.

If approved by the FDA, this AI tool could soon offer millions of women a dual benefit from routine mammograms, effectively enhancing both breast and heart health screening.

For more details: Full Article 

Brain Booster

Select the right answer! (See explanation below)

Opinion and Perspectives

AI NURSE

Can Virtual AI Nurses Replace Human Care? Hospitals Say Yes, Nurses Say No

AI-powered nursing assistants, like Hippocratic AI’s virtual nurse “Ana,” promise hospitals around-the-clock patient support, multilingual capabilities, and cost savings. Yet many human nurses argue these tools threaten patient safety and their own expertise.

What’s happening: Hospitals across the U.S. are adopting AI nurses to automate routine tasks such as patient monitoring, pre-surgical screening calls, and identifying medical emergencies early.

Hippocratic AI, among others, markets its virtual nurse as a solution to nursing shortages and burnout.

But nursing unions strongly oppose this shift, calling AI tools poorly tested, unreliable, and potentially dangerous if trusted blindly.

Nurses push back: Nurses warn that relying on AI can lead to serious medical errors. Adam Hart, an ER nurse in Nevada, recalled a sepsis alert from an AI system that nearly led to inappropriate patient treatment until a physician intervened.

Nursing unions, like National Nurses United, are mobilizing, demanding hospitals respect nurses’ decisions, even when they choose to ignore AI-generated advice.

Not a total replacement, yet: Hospitals insist AI is designed to assist, not replace nurses. Yet nursing advocates fear administrators may use technology to justify reducing staff, especially in budget-strapped areas.

Experts agree AI should augment rather than replace care. Michelle Mahon from National Nurses United sums up the tension: hospitals “have been waiting for something that appears legitimate enough” to substitute nurses.

For now, AI may handle simpler tasks, but it won't stop nurses from organizing if tech crosses the line.

For more details: Full Article

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Product Pipeline

AI-ASSISTED SURGERY

Moon Surgical’s AI-Powered ScoPilot Wins FDA Clearance for Smarter Surgery

Moon Surgical just received FDA clearance for ScoPilot, an AI-powered assistant that helps surgeons keep a steady, clear view during procedures.

Running on the Maestro System and powered by NVIDIA Holoscan, ScoPilot lets surgeons control the laparoscope hands-free, making surgeries smoother and more efficient.

With 1,100+ procedures already performed using Maestro across the U.S. and Europe, ScoPilot builds on a 2024 FDA clearance and expands the system’s capabilities.

The AI feature allows surgeons to control three instruments with just two hands, helping reduce fatigue and improve accuracy.

By enhancing visualization and efficiency, ScoPilot aims to cut procedure times and support better patient outcomes.

For more details: Full Article

Policy and Ethics

FALSE CLAIMS ACT

DOJ Settlement Over AI Billing Errors Sends Warning To Hospitals

AI is playing a bigger role in healthcare, but the U.S. Department of Justice is watching closely.

In 2025, federal enforcement of the False Claims Act (FCA) will remain strong, especially in cases where AI is linked to fraudulent billing or improper claim denials.

A recent $23 million settlement with a hospital over AI-driven billing errors shows how seriously regulators are taking this issue.

With AI now embedded in Medicare Advantage and provider billing, mistakes can lead to hefty fines.

The message is clear: healthcare organizations need to ensure AI improves patient care without crossing ethical or legal lines.

For more details: Full Article

Byte-Sized Break

📢 Three Things AI Did This Week

• Users discovered that Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash AI can remove watermarks from images, raising copyright concerns, though Google states such use violates its terms and is under review. [Link]

• A study found that AI-generated meme captions scored higher on average for humor, creativity, and shareability than human-made ones, but humans still created the funniest individual examples, highlighting AI's strength in mass appeal but not peak originality. [Link]

• Italian newspaper Il Foglio published what it claims to be the world’s first entirely AI-generated edition, using artificial intelligence for all writing, headlines, and even irony, as part of a month-long experiment on AI’s impact on journalism. [Link]

Have a Great Weekend!

Trivia Answer: B) You’re briefly trapped between sleep stages

This spooky phenomenon is called sleep paralysis, and it happens when your brain wakes up from REM sleep, but your body hasn’t gotten the memo yet. During REM sleep, your muscles are temporarily "turned off" (so you don’t act out your dreams), but if you regain consciousness before movement control kicks back in, you get stuck in a weird half-dreaming, half-awake state.

Oh, and about C) ghosts sitting on your chest—many cultures actually believed this was the cause of sleep paralysis, giving rise to creepy legends like the "night hag" or "old hag syndrome."