Small Animal Rotating Intern Texas A&M University Bryan, TX, United States
Abstract:
Background: The EKO Core Stethoscope-Analysis Software system (Eko-system) is an FDA-cleared software intended to provide support to physicians in the evaluation of human patients' heart sounds. There is scarce data regarding the possible utility of this technology in dogs.
Objective: Assessment of the Eko-system’s ability to detect canine heart murmurs of variable intensity. Animals: Sixty-one Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were recruited from an auscultation screening clinic for myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).
Methods: Dogs underwent auscultation by three observers. A board-certified cardiologist and an experienced veterinarian listened with traditional stethoscopes. The third observer, an early-career veterinarian, used the Eko-system to auscultate, record, and analyze 30-second heart sound recordings. Observers were blinded to each other’s results. Murmurs were graded I-VI, and findings were compared to the cardiologist’s assessment.
Results: Auscultation by a cardiologist revealed systolic murmurs in 32 dogs whilst 29 had no murmur (1-I, 10- II, 7-III, 7-IV, 5-V, 1-VI). The Eko-system achieved 78.7% accuracy in identifying murmurs, with 75.9% sensitivity and 81.3% specificity. For louder murmurs (grades III-VI), accuracy rose to 84.0% with 88.9% sensitivity and 81.3% specificity. For softer murmurs (grades I & II), sensitivity and specificity were 54.5% and 81.3%. Overall murmur classification accuracy for the experienced veterinarian was 81.7% with 93.1% sensitivity and 71.0% specificity. Conclusions and clinical importance:The Eko-system's classification accuracy for murmur detection was similar to an experienced veterinarian. Accuracy for the Eko-system was best for murmurs ≥ III/VI. These findings suggest its potential utility as part of auscultation screening for canine MMVD.
