Manicures aren’t the only reason to take nail selfies, thanks to a study published this week. Researchers have found a new way to use photos of nails to diagnose an illness that affects an estimated 83 million Americans.
Dr. L. Andrew Lyon of the Fowler School of Engineering at Chapman University co-authored the study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal. Lyon and his fellow researchers developed a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence and fingernail photos to detect anemia, per a press release from Chapman.
According to the university, the app is a “major advancement in noninvasive health technology,” that is poised to help not only the tens of millions of Americans who suffer but the estimated 2 billion who are affected by the disease worldwide. Anemia is a condition characterized by a lack of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to the body, causing fatigue and shortness of breath. Patients with severe anemia are at risk for complications such as poor childhood development and maternal mortality.
To test whether the app could perform diagnoses as well as traditional blood tests (such as testing for levels of hemoglobin, a red blood cell-rich protein), the research team studied more than 1.4 million tests performed by 200,000 users. They found that the AI-powered app provided hemoglobin estimates that rivaled those traditional lab tests.
Certain nail irregularities can be signs of anemia. For example, the Mayo Clinic lists “spoon nails” – soft nails that turn up at the edges – as a sign of the condition. Per the Cleveland Clinic, this nail sign is also called koilonychia and it indicates iron deficiency. Spoon nails can develop first as flattened nails, followed by an indentation that could hold a drop of water.
“The app represents a scalable, low-cost solution that broadens access to anemia screening, especially in underserved and remote communities,” said Chapman. In particular, researchers believe it could be helpful for people with chronic anemia, including people with kidney disease or cancer, who may need frequent monitoring, since traditional blood testing can be time consuming and expensive. In the U.S., anemia prevalence decreases with increasing family income overall, per data shared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Furthermore, Chapman noted that the app “brings reliable screening directly into the hands of consumers, enabling real-time health monitoring and earlier intervention, empowering users to make informed decisions without waiting for lab results,” and that personalized use of the app improved accuracy by 50%. However, the app is not intended for self-diagnosis.
“This research, more than eight years in the making, represents a meaningful step toward improving accessibility in healthcare,” said Dr. Lyon. “It’s a testament to long-term collaboration and a commitment to empowering patients through innovation.”