#402 – The Wire

  • The e-Stroke Effect: A recent Cerebrovascular Diseases Extra study showed that Brainomix’s e-Stroke brain CT software can allow more and faster reperfusion therapies. Analysis of before and after a large stroke center adopted e-Stroke (n = 399 & 398 patients) revealed that the solution increased thrombolysis and thrombectomy rates (11.5% to 18.1%; 2.8% to 4.8%), while shortening door-to-needle and CT-to-groin puncture times (44 to 42 min; 174 to 145 min). Although the study didn’t show significant evidence of improved therapy outcomes, physicians noted that e-Stroke increased their decision-making confidence and improved patient flow.
  • Canon Across America: Canon Medical Systems USA launched its 2022 US Mobile Tour, which will bring Canon’s mobile product showcase directly to hospitals and providers in 50 US cities, culminating in Chicago for RSNA. The mobile showcase will give healthcare providers hands-on access to Canon’s modalities, solutions, and team of experts, while tour highlights will be regularly promoted on Canon’s Tour Across America website. This is Canon Medical’s first mobile tour, and it appears to be one of its higher-profile 2022 initiatives.
  • Prostate MRI Disparities: A JAMA Oncology study found that Black patients were less likely than White patients to receive a prostate MRI within 6 months of a prostate cancer diagnosis (6.3% vs 9.9%, n = 39,534 Medicare patients). This diagnostic disparity was largely attributed to geographic differences (24%), neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (19%), racialized residential segregation (19%), and individual-level socioeconomic status (11%).
  • PocketHealth’s Report Reader: Image sharing company PocketHealth launched its new Report Reader solution, which helps patients understand complicated terminology in their radiology reports. With Report Reader, patients can tap on words that they don’t understand to view a patient-friendly definition (300 words so far, like “percutaneous” or “unremarkable”). PocketHealth joins the slowly-growing list of imaging vendors working to better inform/engage patients, including dedicated vendors like Scanslated (definitions & diagrams) and adjacent vendors like Visage (PACS-based radiologist video explanations).
  • NS-RADS Unveiled: An AJR study detailed a new neuropathy classification and grading system, called The Neuropathy Score Reporting and Data System (NS-RADS), that might improve evaluation of peripheral neuropathies on MRI. The researchers had 11 readers use NS-RADS to classify and grade 100 patients’ nerve imaging studies, correctly identifying final diagnosis in 71% to 88% of cases and miscategorizing just 1.8% of NS-RADS subclasses. 
  • Collaboration Live FDA Expansion: Philips’ Collaboration Live tele-ultrasound solution gained an expanded FDA 510(k) clearance, allowing remote diagnostic use via more mobile platforms (now includes: iOS, Android, Chrome, and Windows). Collaboration Live allows Philips EPIQ and Affiniti ultrasound users to talk, text, screen share, and transfer control to remote colleagues in real time.
  • CTPA Quality Control AI: A new Radiology Journal study detailed a deep learning algorithm that helps imaging providers improve their CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) diagnostic quality by automatically identifying suboptimal pulmonary artery (PA) contrast enhancement. The researchers used the DL model to assess PA enhancement in 450 CTPAs, identifying scans with suboptimal PA enhancement (< 250 HU) with high sensitivity and specificity (100% & 99.5%) and high agreements with manual radiologist measurements (r = 0.996).
  • United Imaging & Vizient Expand: United Imaging and Vizient expanded their alliance to include X-ray and MRI systems, just a year after Vizient began offering UIH’s CT portfolio. United Imaging has actively expanded its partnerships over the last few years, including a similar alliance with Intalere (now part of Vizient) and channel partnerships with Radon Medical Imaging, Imaging Solutions, and Medimax.
  • Breast Cancer Risk Fusion: A Journal of Digital Imaging study detailed a new short-term breast cancer risk model that could improve prediction accuracy by fusing information from craniocaudal and mediolateral-oblique mammography views (CC & MLO). When validated against a 556-patient dataset (278 w/ cancer), the CC+MLO fusion model predicted breast cancer risk with a 0.72 AUC and 11.99 maximum odds ratio, achieving far higher accuracy than a pair of CC and MLO-based models (AUC difference < 0.05; max ORs 8.09 and 5.25). 
  • Circle CVI+Thoma Bravo: Circle Cardiovascular Imaging (Circle CVI) landed a growth investment from PE heavyweight, Thoma Bravo, that it will use to expand its cardiac imaging solutions portfolio and drive commercial growth. Circle CVI didn’t disclose terms of the deal, but it could be bigger than most of the AI funding rounds we’ve seen recently given that Circle CVI is relatively large/established (180 employees on LinkedIn, wide clinical adoption) and noting Thoma Bravo’s significant scale.
  • Cybersecurity Warning: The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency identified vulnerabilities in PTC’s Axeda agent and Axeda Desktop Server equipment, which means products from several major medical imaging and radiation therapy manufacturers could be at risk of cyberattacks (Accuray, Bayer, Elekta, GE Healthcare, and Varian). The vulnerability could allow bad actors to take full control of the host operating system. PTC isn’t aware of any related cyberattacks, but recommends mitigations such as updating to the software latest version.
  • Mach7 + Bialogics: Mach7 Technologies announced an integration partnership with Bialogics, allowing Mach7 users to leverage Bialogics’ business intelligence platform to analyze data/reports stored in their VNA, and use that information to support workflow and process improvement.

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