Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 14, 2026
Echocardiographic Assessment of Cardiac Anatomy and Function in Adult Rats
Published on: December 13, 2019
Echocardiographic Evaluation in Children with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Deep Learning
Yi-Chin Peng1, Yi-Jen Huang2, Xiao-Ling Liu3
1Department of Pediatric Cardiology, China Medical University Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 404327, Taiwan.
Insights
Deep learning effectively detects subtle cardiac changes in children with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). AI-assisted echocardiography shows high accuracy in identifying PASC-related cardiac differences, though clinical significance requires further study.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Artificial Intelligence
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) can lead to cardiac complications in children.
- Echocardiography is crucial for detecting cardiac abnormalities, but subtle changes may be missed by standard analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply deep learning to enhance the detection and understanding of echocardiographic changes in children with PASC.
- To evaluate the performance of an AI model in distinguishing cardiac function between children with PASC and controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 270 children with PASC and 400 age-matched controls.
- Echocardiographic images were analyzed using a ResNet-50-based deep learning model.
- Exclusion criteria included congenital heart disease, inflammatory conditions, or arrhythmias.
Main Results:
- Standard echocardiographic parameters showed no significant abnormalities in the PASC group.
- The deep learning model achieved high accuracy (96.6%), sensitivity (96.7%), and specificity (96.2%).
- AI-assisted analysis effectively distinguished cardiac function between PASC and control groups.
Conclusions:
- Deep learning models can enhance the detection of subtle cardiac changes in children with PASC.
- AI-assisted echocardiography demonstrates high performance in identifying PASC-related cardiac differences.
- Further large-scale studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these AI-detected differences.
Abstract:
Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) is characterized by persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Children with PASC are at risk of developing cardiac complications. Echocardiography has been instrumental in identifying cardiac abnormalities. This study applies deep learning to enhance the detection and understanding of echocardiographic changes in children with PASC. A case-control study was conducted at a pediatric tertiary center in central Taiwan. Children under 18 years who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and experienced symptoms for longer than 4 weeks were recruited between July 1, 2022, and July 31, 2023, during the Omicron variant surge. Echocardiographic data were also collected from a control group, consisting of children who presented with similar symptoms and received medical care in the same pediatric tertiary center in 2018. Children with congenital or structural heart disease, inflammatory conditions, or arrhythmias were excluded. Echocardiographic images were analyzed using a ResNet-50-based deep learning model to identify cardiac abnormalities. A total of 270 children with PASC and 400 age-matched control children were included. Standard echocardiographic parameters, including EF, FS, chamber dimensions, and valvular assessment, did not reveal abnormalities in the PASC group. The deep learning model achieved an accuracy of 96.6%, sensitivity of 96.7%, specificity of 96.2%, and balanced accuracy of 96.4%. AI-assisted echocardiographic analysis demonstrated high performance in distinguishing cardiac function between PASC and controls. Deep learning models enhance the detection of subtle cardiac changes in children with PASC. Although the deep learning model demonstrated high performance in distinguishing PASC from controls, the clinical significance of these subtle image-based differences remains uncertain and requires further evaluation in large-scale studies with long-term follow-up.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography
Indications: Echocardiography is utilized to diagnose heart failure, valve disorders, and myocardial infarction. It also assesses cardiac structures' size, shape, and motion,...
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for...