A technique that identifies people at risk of having a heart attack in the next 10 years has been described by scientists as a “game-changing” technology.

The artificial intelligence (AI) model detects inflammation in the heart that doesn’t show up on CT scans, which involve a combination of X-rays and computer technology.

A pilot project supported by NHS England is running in five hospital trusts in Oxford, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Liverpool and Wolverhampton.

A decision on its use within the NHS is expected within a few months.

Its developer, Caristo Diagnostics, a subsidiary of the University of Oxford, said it is already working on adapting the technology for stroke and diabetes prevention.

“This technology is transformational and significant because for the first time we can detect biological processes, invisible to the human eye, that occur before narrowing and blockages develop (within the heart),” said Professor Keith Channon, from the University of Oxford.

As part of the pilot project, patients suffering from chest pain who are referred for routine CT scans have their scans analyzed by Caristo Diagnostics’ Cari-Heart AI platform.

An algorithm detecting coronary inflammation and plaque is evaluated by trained operators to verify accuracy.

Research has shown that increased inflammation is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and fatal heart attacks.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) estimates that around 7.6 million people in the UK suffer from heart disease and, according to government figures, the annual cost to the NHS in England is £7.4 billion.

The BHF said around 350,000 patients are referred for cardiac CT scans each year in the UK.

The ORPHAN study (Oxford Risk Factors and Non-Invasive Imaging) included 40,000 patients and was published KnifeThe study found that 80% of people were referred back to primary care without a prescribed prevention or treatment plan.

Focusing on this group, the researchers said they found that if patients had inflammation in their coronary arteries, their risk of death from a cardiovascular event over the next 10 years was 20 to 30 times higher.

The BHF-funded study found that by using AI technology, 45% of patients were prescribed medication or encouraged to make lifestyle changes to prevent the risk of future heart attacks.

Ian Pickard, 58, from Barwell, Leicestershire, was referred for a CT scan in November 2023 after experiencing persistent chest pain.

He was enrolled in the ORPHAN study at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

The double-glazing salesman has now been put on statin drugs, told to quit smoking and increase exercise, after tests based on AI analysis showed he was at risk of a heart attack.

“This is a big warning,” Mr Picard said.

“And when you see it on paper, you realise how serious it is. It’s something you can look at every day and think, ‘I’ve got to do something about this’.”

Professor Charalambos Antoniades, head of the ORPHAN study, said the tools available until now were primitive, as risk calculators could only assess general risk factors, such as whether a patient has diabetes, smokes or is obese.

He added: “Now, with this kind of (AI) technology, we know which patients have disease activity in their arteries even before the disease develops.”

“This means we can take early action to reverse the disease process and treat this patient to stop the disease from progressing and prevent a heart attack from occurring.”

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently evaluating the technology to determine whether it should be rolled out across the NHS.

It is also being reviewed in the US and has been approved for use in Europe and Australia.