Imperial College London explores use of digital twin heart models

Researchers at Imperial College London are embarking on a groundbreaking project to develop digital twin heart models for NHS patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). With £8 million in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the project aims to assess the feasibility, scalability, and affordability of integrating digital twin heart models into patient care pathways. Initially enrolling 100 patients from specialist PAH centers, the project seeks to address the life-threatening cardiovascular disease's challenges, including severe breathlessness, heart failure, and frequent hospitalizations.

The digital twin creation process involves constructing a real-time virtual replica of a patient's heart using various health data sources, including medical records, scans, and information from wearable and implanted monitors. Continuously updated with real-time data from medical devices, these digital twins will enable researchers to remotely monitor disease progression and treatment response accurately. Led by Professor Steven Niederer from Imperial College London, the interdisciplinary team comprises clinicians, engineers, computational statisticians, and research engineers, tasked with evaluating the usability and accuracy of the digital twin technology.

This pioneering initiative represents the first large-scale trial of digital twin technology within the NHS for a specific patient group. The project's timeline involves an 18-month recruitment phase, followed by at least 42 months of training the digital twin models. Beyond this, additional patients may be enrolled for further testing, marking a significant step forward in leveraging advanced technology to enhance patient care and outcomes.