SimonMed signs MRI pact with Philips; FDA clears several new AI algorithms, plus more vendor news
Royal Philips has signed a deal with radiology provider SimonMed to bring advanced MR imaging to its outpatient centers, the two announced Wednesday.
The first 3T systems will be placed in practices located in California, Arizona, Illinois and Colorado and will feature software and services aimed at enhancing diagnoses of several diseases.
“This collaboration with Philips focuses on going beyond routine 3T MRI imaging to deploy the most advanced technology, often only available to an academic center, in accessible and affordable outpatient practice to greatly enhance diagnoses from early post-traumatic brain injuries to the most subtle orthopedic injuries,” SimonMed CEO John Simon said in a statement.
The practice dubs itself as one of the largest outpatient imaging providers and radiology practices in the U.S., employing more than 200 radiologists, operating at 150-plus facilities in nine states.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam-based Royal Philips also signed a 10-year strategic partnership with Marienhospital Stuttgart, in Germany. The deal includes renewal and ongoing development of the hospital’s diagnostic imaging equipment and associated IT systems, the partners said Wednesday.
Quantib earns FDA clearance
In more news out of the Netherlands, Rotterdam-based artificial intelligence firm Quantib scored its sixth clearance from the U.S. FDA, officials announced Wednesday.
This latest algorithm aims to “dramatically” improve MRI prostate reporting. The firm highlighted “triple digit growth” in such scans following the release of new screening guidelines. Yet, scarcities in radiologists to read these scans poses challenges for practices.
“Workflows currently available for reporting MRI prostate are filled with inefficiencies, annoyances and frankly are prone to errors,” CEO Arthur Post Uiterweer said in a statement. “Quantib Prostate automates much of the process, energy draining tasks are now taken over by AI, helping the radiologists to focus on the key clinical questions.”
Aidoc’s pulmonary embolism tool
In more Food and Drug Administration news, Aidoc announced Wednesday that it is the first company to receive clearance for a product that targets pulmonary embolism.
This is the Israel-based tech firm’s sixth clearance from the FDA, with the newest offering serving as an “always-on safety net,” flagging and communicating incidental PE in images. The most common use has been for critical unsuspected findings in oncology surveillance patients, according to an announcement.
“The ability to call the referring physician while the patient is still in the house is huge. We are essentially offering a point-of-care diagnosis of PE for our outpatients,” Cindy Kallman, MD, chief of the CT Section at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said in a statement.
Ezra’s prostate assist
New York-based startup Ezra also announced an FDA clearance this week, for its prostate cancer solution. The software helps to decrease the cost of MRI cancer screening by assisting radiologists in analyzing images.
Ezra’s AI does so through aiding in accurate prostate volume and lesion measurements, along with automatic segmentation and 3D volume representation, according to an announcement.
Sectra deal
Swedish imaging IT firm Sectra has inked a seven-year contract with Amsterdam UMC, one of the largest healthcare providers in the Netherlands.
Under the pact, Sectra will install its solutions throughout the organization’s radiology and nuclear medicine departments. Their goal is to help boost UMC’s reading and reporting efficiency, along with enhancing collaboration at its two hospitals, the partners announced. Oct. 19.
Rapid fire
A few more radiology vendor news items of note from the past week, in rapid fashion:
- Fujifilm Medical Systems USA and Volpara Solutions recently expanded their partnership, targeted toward helping mammography facilities improve image quality and accurately assess breast density.
- Change Healthcare recently inked a distribution deal with iCAD, expanding access to the latter’s ProFound AI tool.
- GE Healthcare announced the availability of Serena Bright, the “industry’s first” contrast-enhanced guided biopsy solution.
- Valve Health announced a partnership with Touro University Nevada, the state’s largest school of medicine, to equip students with wireless, pocket-sized ultrasound devices.
- In yet another news item during a busy week for Philips, the company also inked a seven-year partnership with Mandaya Royal Hospital Puri in Indonesia.
- And finally, French AI technology company Qynapse this month announced that it is acquiring Canadian firm True Positive Medical Devices.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.