Lung ultrasound with AI to detect tuberculosis in adults in low-resource countries
Official title: Lung Ultrasound and Artificial Intelligence Technology for the Diagnosis of TB in LMICs
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11506692 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses quick lung ultrasound scans plus artificial intelligence to help find pulmonary tuberculosis in adults in low- and middle-income countries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $75,380 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HL168261-03S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11506692 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21 years and older) with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary TB who present to participating clinics in low- and middle-income countries are the intended candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without lung symptoms, children, or those with extrapulmonary or latent TB are unlikely to benefit directly from this lung-ultrasound approach.
What this research studies
If you visit a participating clinic, a health worker would do a brief, portable lung ultrasound at the point of care. An AI program will analyze the ultrasound images in real time to flag findings that suggest pulmonary TB and help decide who needs further testing like sputum/Xpert. The team will train local providers on scanning and refine procedures so the approach works well in low-resource settings. The aim is to make a fast, low-cost way to triage people with TB symptoms so they get the right tests and treatment sooner.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed up TB diagnosis and help people start treatment sooner, especially where lab testing is limited.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data and small studies suggest lung ultrasound can be highly sensitive for pulmonary TB, but large, rigorous trials of AI-driven LUS for TB are still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gilman, Robert H — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Gilman, Robert H
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.