Australian Universities Develop AI Tool to Prevent Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcer Hospitalizations

Australian researchers from the University of Melbourne, RMIT, and Bolton Clarke have developed THERMUL, a smartphone-based AI thermal-imaging tool. Tested on 110 patients, the technology analyzes heat patterns to predict whether diabetes-related foot ulcers will heal within 12 weeks. This early intervention tool aims to prevent hospitalizations and amputations, potentially reducing the $875 million annual burden on Australia's healthcare system and improving access for remote patients.

THERMUL AI tool development

• ▪Researchers from the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, and Bolton Clarke developed THERMUL, a smartphone-based thermal-imaging artificial intelligence tool to predict diabetes-related foot ulcer healing
• ▪The THERMUL technology analyzes heat patterns within thermal images of wounds to predict whether a diabetes-related foot ulcer is likely to heal within 12 weeks

Diabetes-related foot ulcer burden

• ▪Diabetes-related foot ulcers can lead to infection, hospitalization, lower-limb amputation, and early death if they are not managed appropriately
• ▪Diabetes affects more than 500 million people globally, and up to 34% of individuals with the condition will develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime

Clinical study methodology

• ▪Researchers conducted a clinical study involving 110 patients with diabetes-related foot ulcers at Austin Health and St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
• ▪Researchers captured ulcer images using a lightweight thermal camera when patients initially presented to the clinic, with additional images taken two and four weeks later

Thermal imaging prediction accuracy

• ▪An artificial intelligence algorithm was trained to recognize heat patterns within initial thermal images associated with ulcers that healed compared to those that did not
• ▪Clinicians assessed whether each ulcer had healed at 12 weeks to compare actual healing outcomes with the collected thermal image data

Health equity accessibility

• ▪The portable, non-contact THERMUL tool has the potential to bring specialist-level decision support closer to where regional patients live and receive care
• ▪Regular access to specialist support for diabetes-related foot ulcers can be difficult for people living in regional, rural, and remote communities

Economic healthcare system benefits

• ▪By enabling earlier identification of ulcers at risk of delayed healing, THERMUL has the potential to reduce complications and deliver economic benefits to Australia's health care system
• ▪Diabetes-related foot disease costs the Australian health care system an estimated $875 million every year