VALIDITY OF A DIAGNOSTIC METHOD BY “NO CONTACT” TECHNOLOGY IN DETECTION OF SLEEP APNEA THROUGH A THERMOGRAPHIC CAMERA AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Diagnosis method of sleep apnea&nbsp;is polysomnography (PSG) and respiratory polygraphy (RP). Both systems are costly, time consuming and uncomfortable. The objective of our study was to validate an infrared thermographic camera with an artificial intelligence system, in order to identify apneic respiratory events in adults with clinical suspicion of OSA. <b>Methods:</b> Total number of respiratory events (apneas and hypopneas) detected by facial temperature micro-changes were analyzed and compared with events detected by nasal flow quantified by the PSG nasal cannula and thermistor. The result of both methods was classified by binary form as normal study if it presented an AHI≤10 or pathological if the AHI was&gt;10. <b>Results:</b> 30 records were full valuable (age 48±11 years, 83% men, body mass index 27± 3.7 kg/m2, and Epworth of 9±4 points). 16 studies were normal on PSG and 14 were pathological. Thermographic camera was able to detect all normal studies (100% specificity) and 12 of the 14 pathological studies, classifying only 2 pathological studies as normal. Table I presents the validity results. <b>Conclusions:</b> Use of this system is highly valid, especially for diagnosing the presence of OSA (AHI &gt;10). If these results are confirmed with a greater number of patients, the potential implantation of thermography treated with artificial intelligence could result in a new “no contact” diagnostic system for patients with suspected OSA.