Speed-up the diagnosis and evaluation of anomalous coronary artery from the aorta

Funder: Unione Europea – Next Generation EU; Ministero della Salute – PNNR

Duration of funding: 2024 – 2026

Grant ID: PNRR-MCNT2-2023-12378301

Lead institution: IRCCS Policlinico San Donato

Partners: Università degli Studi di Pavia, IRCCS ISMETT – Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti, Università degli Studi Di Napoli Federico II

Project description

The SMART project addresses anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries (AAOCA), a rare congenital condition that can lead to sudden cardiac death or myocardial infarction even in the absence of obstructive coronary disease. Current diagnostic approaches, including imaging techniques, invasive assessments, and stress tests, are limited by low sensitivity and specificity, underscoring the need for more accurate and patient-specific strategies. SMART proposes a fully automated web-based workflow that enables clinicians to upload CTA images, which will be anonymized and processed through artificial intelligence (AI) for segmentation, detection of anomalous coronary origins, and extraction of AI-derived anatomical features. These data will be integrated with clinical information and biomechanical simulations using finite element analysis (FEA) to reproduce coronary dynamics under simulated stress conditions and assess the likelihood of vessel compression. The resulting framework will combine imaging, AI, and computational modeling into a unified risk model to estimate the probability of major adverse events, automatically generating a standardized report that includes anatomical descriptors, computational findings, and risk indicators. By offering an accessible, automated, and reproducible diagnostic workflow, SMART aims to overcome current diagnostic limitations in patients with AAOCA, support personalized risk stratification, and foster the broader adoption of advanced digital health solutions for rare cardiovascular diseases.