Connected healthcare specialist, Wellbeing Software, has announced a partnership with US-based artificial intelligence (AI) provider, Imbio, to enable NHS organisations to use AI to support the diagnosis of patients with chronic lung and thoracic conditions.
Algorithms developed by Imbio, which has offices in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, enable clinicians to quickly analyse a patient’s lung density and texture. This includes using advanced computer vision to transform a standard chest CT into a detailed map of lung textures in order to identify cases of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and other fibrotic conditions.
The company also has a range of additional algorithms currently at research stage, as well as partnerships with a number of leading clinics and universities, including the University of Michigan, Oregon Health & Science University, and the prestigious Mayo Clinic, a US academic medical centre based in Rochester, Minnesota.
More than one billion imaging studies are requested in the US and EU alone every year. But this explosion hasn’t come with the tools clinicians need to see and interpret all of the information in each patient’s images
Imbio is the latest provider to make its technology available through Wellbeing Software’s AI Connect platform, which enables hospitals to embed their chosen algorithms into their radiology workflow, no matter what RIS or PACS they’re running.
As the leading provider of Radiology Information Systems to the NHS, Wellbeing’s expertise in radiology workflow has already enabled trusts and organisations to speed up their adoption of AI.
This has included the deployment of AI at Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust, where Wellbeing’s AI Connect platform has enabled the introduction of algorithms from AI provider, behold.ai, that are helping clinicians to triage imaging and prioritise workloads.
AI Connect also provides a standard framework for the rollout of multiple algorithms from multiple providers.
David Hannes, chief operating officer at Imbio, said: “More than one billion imaging studies are requested in the US and EU alone every year. But this explosion hasn’t come with the tools clinicians need to see and interpret all of the information in each patient’s images.
“With big data analysis and computer vision, our algorithms are able to turn standard medical images into rich visual maps of a patient’s condition and reports that provide detailed data on the type and extent of abnormalities found in the patient images.
“This enables clinicians to see hidden information in the images and drive data-based, personalised patient care decisions from diagnosis, to therapy tracking, to planning for procedures.
Algorithms have the ability to drastically improve clinical workloads and patient care, but this only becomes a reality when the technology is matched with existing workflows and practices. By enabling this we hope to make the roll-out of AI as simple as possible
“Wellbeing Software’s understanding of radiology workflow within the NHS is unrivalled and its AI Connect platform will provide a quick way for trusts and organisations to see the benefits of our technology in action.”
Graham Ridgway, chief executive at Wellbeing Software, added: “We’re committed to giving NHS organisations the best choice when it comes to the adoption of AI and are pleased to welcome Imbio and its pioneering algorithms to the AI Connect Programme and our newly-launched AI Market Place, which highlights the different applications of AI we are making available.
“Algorithms, such as those created by Imbio, have the ability to drastically improve clinical workloads and patient care, but this only becomes a reality when the technology is matched with existing workflows and practices. By enabling this we hope to make the roll-out of AI as simple as possible.”
