New AI technique to assist vets

Researchers from the University of Surrey CVSSP and the School of Veterinary Medicine have developed an AI technique that could help vets to a quicker diagnosis of cavalier King Charles spaniels suffering from chronic pain and identification of facial changes associated with Chiari-like malformation, a disease that causes deformity of the skull and neck.

The researchers used an automated image mapping method to find trends in the MRI data that might assist vets to distinguish between dogs suffering from pain associated with Chiari-like malformation, and those suffering from spinal cord damage. It identified the region in the sphenoid bone, and the floor of the third ventricle and its close neural tissue, as genetic characteristics for CM associated pain, and the presphenoid bone and the region between the soft palate and the tongue for spinal cord damage.

The CVSSP’s Michaela Spiteri, said: “The success of our technique suggests machine learning can be developed as a diagnostic tool to help treat cavalier King Charles spaniels that are suffering from this enigmatic and terrible disease. We believe AI can be a useful tool for veterinarians caring for our four-legged family members.”