Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
07:15
Machine Learning Algorithms for Early Detection of Bone Metastases in an Experimental Rat Model
Published on: August 16, 2020
NerveAI- a machine learning algorithm for detection of nerve pain in the head and neck
Merel H J Hazewinkel1, Weishen Pan2, Siddharth Simon1
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, 425 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
Scientific Reports
|May 12, 2026
Summary
NerveAI, an AI tool using 3D models, can help non-specialists screen for nerve pain in headache patients. Early diagnosis improves treatment and reduces risks like chronic pain and narcotic dependence.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Artificial Intelligence
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Nerve pain screening in headache patients requires specialized knowledge often unavailable at primary care points.
- Delayed diagnosis increases risks of chronic pain, disability, and opioid dependence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate NerveAI, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven 3D head and neck model for accurate nerve pain screening.
- To provide a simple tool for timely diagnosis of nerve pain in headache disorder patients.
Main Methods:
- Developed NerveAI, an AI algorithm utilizing a 3D head and neck model.
- Trained the AI on 1,299 head and neck pain drawings mapped to anatomic nerve paths.
- Constructed input features using coordinates from pain drawings.
Main Results:
- The multilayer perceptron model achieved an AUROC of 0.879 ± 0.044 for general nerve pain detection.
- High AUROC values were observed for specific nerve pain types: occipital (0.928), frontal (0.930), temporal (0.884), and trigeminal neuralgia (0.954).
Conclusions:
- NerveAI demonstrates potential for broader nerve pain screening by non-specialized healthcare providers.
- Early diagnosis and treatment facilitated by NerveAI can improve patient outcomes and mitigate long-term complications.
- The tool addresses barriers related to geographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare literacy.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers
Local anesthetics (LAs) block the sodium channels of nerve trunks, sensory nerve endings, and neuromuscular junctions. Although LAs can block all kinds of nerves, the sensitivity of nerve fibers differs according to nerve types and structures. LAs are known to block myelinated fibers faster than unmyelinated ones. Also, they block pain or sensory neurons at low concentrations without affecting the motor neurons involved in muscle contractions. This helps relieve labor pain without affecting the...
01:29Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Bones are dynamic organs that require a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients. Around 5% to 10% of the cardiac output supplies blood to the bones. A typical long bone has three main sources: the nutrient artery, the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, and the periosteal arteries.
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
01:44Nociception
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...