Johns Hopkins MedicineA Smart Otoscope to Better Diagnose Ear Infections

An algorithm successfully detects ear infections with the same sensitivity and specificity as a fellowship-trained otolaryngologist.

Advancements in technology have long been leveraged to enhance diagnostic accuracy in healthcare. A striking example of this can be seen in a new development spearheaded by otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeon James Clark, who, in collaboration with Therese Canares, has fashioned a “smart” otoscope using artificial intelligence to accurately diagnose ear infections.

Key Points

• Otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeon James Clark and Therese Canares, director of pediatric emergency medicine digital health innovation at Johns Hopkins, developed a smart otoscope in early 2019 to diagnose ear infections using artificial intelligence.
• The team worked under the Johns Hopkins Technology Innovation Center and labeled 100 images of healthy and infected ear drums for an artificial intelligence algorithm.
• By October 2020, a prototype featuring a high-definition camera, screen, and wireless internet connectivity was produced.
• After recording images of an eardrum, the smart otoscope sends images to the cloud for analysis by the algorithm and sends back a diagnosis in real time.

Additional Points

• The technology may prove beneficial for in-person appointments, telemedicine, and urgent care settings.
• The device has the potential to speed up and enhance accuracy in diagnosing and treating conditions in an urgent care setting.
• The technology could also be used by caregivers at home to share high-resolution images with a physician during a telehealth visit.
• The team has secured $450,000 in funding since 2019 and recently submitted a provisional patent application for the technology.

Conclusion

• The next step for the team is gathering efficacy data on the prototype to further confirm the accuracy and efficiency of this technology in various healthcare settings.

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“The images can be shared with parents during the exam so they better understand why the child may or may not need an antibiotic.”
Dr. James Clark