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2021
Initiation of 3D imaging method of intractable brain states
In early May 2021, researchers from the Matai Medical Research Institute in New Zealand, Stevens Institute of Technology and other scientific institutions introduced a new advanced 3D imaging method for intractable brain conditions such as obstructive brain disease and aneurysms. 3D-MRI with amplification allows you to evaluate the physiological movement of the brain in all directions in real time. More details here.
Start using AI1 system, diagnosing CT and X-ray in the Russian Federation
In March 2021, the European Medical Center (EMS) announced that it was the first in Russia to use the AI1 medical imaging system (All-In-One), developed by the Israeli company Zebra Medical Vision. More details here.
2020: Radiation dose for medical imaging decreased by 20% over 10 years
In mid-March 2020, the US National Radiation Protection Council submitted a report according to which the radiation dose for medical imaging has fallen by 20% over the past decade.
The new paper covers trends in diagnostic and interventional medical imaging in the US and tracks radiation doses used to produce adequate images. The Committee found that radiation exposure at medical procedures decreased from 2.9 mSv per person in 2006 to 2.3 mSv in 2016. The total number of X-rays also decreased from about 877 million in 2006 to 691 million in 2016.
It is known that in the preceding period, from 1980 to 2006, there was a sixfold increase in the same indicator due to the widespread introduction of new medical imaging methods, mainly in the form of computed tomography and nuclear medicine. The authors summarized the identified trends and discussed the potential causes of sudden change in radiation exposure to patients in the United States. The report used data from a wide range of sources, including U.S. Medicare Part B applications, occupational society data registers, and surveys from several federal and commercial agencies.
One of the main reasons for the overall reduction was a significant reduction in the number of nuclear medicine procedures - from 17 million in 2006 to 13.5 million in 2016. This is mainly due to insufficient cost recovery and the introduction of new, safer and equally accurate survey methods such as echocardiography. The dose of CT radiation has probably decreased due to new dose modulation methods, as well as due to the efforts of public campaigns to optimize the dose and reduce unnecessary prescriptions.[1]
2019: Thanks to CAD, unnecessary contrast administration in MRI can be avoided
At the end of May 2019, 3D radiology experts used an automated design system (CAD) to assess whether patients with multiple sclerosis should be given a contrast agent in brain MRI. The results of the study are presented online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Jeffrey Rudie of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia tested a new MRI protocol for multiple sclerosis. Although patients with multiple sclerosis typically undergo contrast studies to assess response to therapy, the absence of new disease activity in non-contrast imaging suggests that contrast administration will be uninformative. In an attempt to reduce the risk of gadolinium contrasts, a team of researchers decided to use CAD to weed out patients without new lesions.
After obtaining a non-contrast image in free water signal suppression MRI (FLAIR) mode, the researchers used CAD software to assess new disease activity. A specialist in the 3D laboratory of the institution reviewed the results of CAD and within a few minutes informed the laboratory assistant if it was necessary to introduce a contrast agent based on gadolinium to continue the examination.
CAD evaluated non-contrast images in dynamics for 10 minutes, and preliminary data were then compared with the conclusion of a neurorengenologist. During the two-month pilot trial, it appeared that unnecessary contrast administration could be avoided in 87% of patients. This approach significantly reduced the costs for the system health care associated with the contrast agent itself, the time to introduce contrast, and the time to obtain and interpret images.[2]
2018: Investments in AI developers for medical imaging doubled to $580 million
In early February 2019, Signify Research presented a funding analysis of companies that are developing solutions for medical imaging based on artificial intelligence. According to analysts, in 2018, the volume of investments in this market reached almost $580 million, which is twice the amount received by startups in 2017.
The report shows that the funding of developers of AI solutions for medical imaging has moved to a new stage. Newly established companies began to go beyond initial research and development and began to look for their place in the market. Investments in later stages of startup development are aimed at financing clinical validation research, developing additional products, entering the international market and expanding the operational aspects of the business.
By the end of 2018, more than 120 startups were developing AI for medical imaging, and the total amount of funds invested in them since 2014 exceeded $1.2 billion. The average investment in one company in 2018 was $14.4 million.
The company HeartFlow received the most support, in which investors invested $476.6 million to develop cardiology applications. It is followed by Voxelcloud - a US company with funding of $80.5 million, and Chinese startup Infervision with a fund of $73.1 million. At the same time, 42% of investments worth more than $240 million settled in Asian companies (if excluded from the analysis of HeartFlow). This may be partly due to the expansion of Asian developers in other countries and regions.
Analysts note that such investments are highly likely to justify themselves. In the market with a shortage of radiologists with experience in artificial intelligence, it will become one of the significant tools to increase the efficiency of work processes. This will provide cost-effective diagnostic pathways, such as the use of non-invasive CT instead of angiography.[3]
2017: Prognosis by Trends in Medical Imaging
In December 2017, Ambra Health CEO Morris Panner presented a forecast for technology trends that he believes will change medical imaging in 2018.
The expert believes that digital technologies should take a special place in the healthcare industry. Changing consumer preferences, merging supplier companies and the emergence of tech titans such as Apple, Amazon and Microsoft will fundamentally change the market for medical devices and services themselves.
 | The main priority will remain value-oriented service, and although we are unlikely to receive an AI doctor in an application on a smartphone next year, several technological trends can already be predicted, "says Panner. |  |
Open networks of recommendations are becoming more important for health system growth
Imaging studies are becoming more popular thanks to a wide network of recommendations in patient communities. According to an Ambra Health survey, patients are still looking for doctors on recommendations, which means that health professionals will look for effective, time-saving and high-quality image processing methods.
The Big Four is being introduced into the healthcare sector
Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft continue to be introduced in various ways in a new industry for them: they are already engaged in venture financing, research and the creation of new applications in the field of health. Information technology received special attention from the Big Four. Now, for dominance in the field of information transfer and storage, including visualization research data, a real race has begun. Google has already attended the annual North American Society of Radiologists (RSNA) 2017 conference and announced a collaboration with several providers of medical imaging devices, including Ambra Health.
Cloud-based image archives will dominate information
Vendors are looking for independent cloud archives to create a shared repository of information. Centralizing the data archive will give doctors access to all the necessary patient information, which will increase the effectiveness of their work. Some forms of data do not correspond to the traditional electronic information storage system. Single cloud storage provides a rigorous, easy-to-manage way to organize this data.
Patients will be able to influence decision on data privacy issue
AI can radically transform healthcare with huge data archives that are used to test new ideas. However, there are problems with the use of sensitive data. In 2018, patients will be able to play a more active role in this issue and influence the decisions of large companies - a new era is coming for the field of medical ethics, and it should be based on openness to all participants in the process.
Informatics develops in seven-mile steps
Value-oriented healthcare begins to prevail over the usual model with a fixed fee for the service. Patient-centric means that information technologies, especially those using the potential of deep learning and artificial intelligence technologies, will increasingly be used to optimize and streamline the flow of data and the results of visualization studies.
Suppliers Ready to Meet Changing Consumer Requirements
The consumer of medical services of the 21st century is already familiar with cloud and mobile technologies. However, health care providers are changing their priorities much more slowly, USA and so far about 44% of patients receive research data on CDs. In 2018, thanks to the widespread dissemination of cloud technologies for, data storage providers will be able to provide patients with access to all the necessary information at any time convenient for them.
Moving from Data Protection to Threat Prevention
Moving to centralized storage requires appropriate information protection. With the latest AI-based security and machine learning technologies, data protection reaches a new level: now programs do not respond to a threat, but prevent it. Artificial intelligence and in-depth learning technologies will play an increasingly important role in predicting security threats, which will undoubtedly require serious investment from the health sector.
AI is becoming increasingly important in document automation
Modern machine learning and workflow automation technologies can speed up data processing, improve diagnostic accuracy, and reduce errors in radiology and other areas. AI became the most discussed topic at the annual RSNA conference in November 2017. Many practitioners admire new opportunities to transform everyday workflows, while other professionals are skeptical of AI achievements.
The work of AI is to process a huge array of patient data and obtain comparison algorithms. Undoubtedly, there are many potential uses of AI to improve workflows in radiology. One example is the use of algorithms to automatically compare the results of new and previous studies.
Implementing Virtual and Mobile Services
2018 will open a new level of mobile services. Already, companies provide applications for primary care, preventive screening and even treatment. The cost-effectiveness and efficiency of new technologies contribute to the expansion of the range of services and their applications.
Ethnic and sociocultural diversity among radiologists benefits the patient
Thanks to new technologies, radiologists are increasingly communicating with patients, and interaction with the patient and his relatives is an extremely personal and emotional part of the doctor's work. Therefore, it is so important that the society of doctors reflects the real situation in the world, and information technology will allow new specialists of various nationalities to contribute to the common cause.[4]
Notes
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