• AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis automatically measures volumetric changes in brain
• AI-Rad Companion Prostate MR for Biopsy Support segments prostate for targeted biopsy under MRI and ultrasound fusion imaging
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared two additional Siemens Healthineers artificial intelligence-based software assistants in the AI-Rad Companion family. Both new software assistants free radiologists from routine activities during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. The AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis automatically segments the brain in MRI images, measures brain volume, and marks volume deviations. The AI-Rad Companion Prostate MR for Biopsy Support automatically segments the prostate on MRI images and enables radiologists to mark lesions, facilitating targeted prostate biopsies.
“These new AI-Rad Companion applications for MR exams in the brain and prostate regions will help physicians manage their workloads and achieve a patient-focused decision-making process to increase efficiency and improve the quality of care,” said Peter Shen, Vice President of Innovation and Digital Business at Siemens Healthineers North America.
The AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis supports brain volumetry, which involves measuring the volume of gray matter (nerve cells), white matter (nerve cell connections), and cerebrospinal fluid in various segments of the brain and comparing the results to normal volumes. In typical clinical presentation and when combined with independent confirmation, reduced volume may indicate Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or other forms of dementia.¹ Previously, segmentation and comparison to the norm were performed manually or semi-automatically.
Based on AI algorithms, the AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis can automatically identify roughly 30 brain segments on MRI images, measure their volumes, and compare the results to data in a normative reference database for brain morphometry from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).² The AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis feeds the results into a report where deviations from the norm are marked automatically.
The AI-Rad Companion Prostate MR for Biopsy Support automatically segments the prostate and marks the organ’s outer contour in seconds rather than minutes, as is the case with manual segmentation. The radiologist then simply marks the suspect areas and sends the annotated MRI images to the urologist for fusion with ultrasound images during the biopsy. These targeted, MRI-supported biopsies can help the urologist detect significant prostate carcinomas and improve patient care.
Both new AI-Rad Companion software assistants can be used on MRI scanners from Siemens Healthineers and outside manufacturers, and are available on the teamplay cloud-based digital health platform³ from Siemens Healthineers. These two new assistants join the growing AI-Rad Companion family, which is seamlessly integrated into the existing clinical workflow and is DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) compliant.
¹ Wolk, D.A., & Dickerson, B.C. (2018). “Clinical features and diagnosis of Alzheimer disease,” UpToDate.com https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-features-and-diagnosis-of-alzheimer-disease?search=Clinical%20features%20and%20diagnosis%20of%20Alzheimer%20disease&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1,
² http://adni.loni.usc.edu/
³ teamplay is not yet commercially available in all countries. For regulatory reasons, its future availability cannot be guaranteed. Please contact your local Siemens Healthineers organization for more details.
For further information on the AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis and AI-Rad Companion Prostate MR for Biopsy Support, please see
siemens-healthineers.us/ai-rad
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Jeff Bell
Phone: +484-868-8346; e-mail: jeffrey.t.bell@siemens-healthineers.com
Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the future of Healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostic, image-guided therapy, and in-vivo diagnostics. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers’ ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to patients. In fiscal 2019, which ended on September 30, 2019, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 52,000 employees worldwide, generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted profit of €2.5 billion. Further Information is available at
www.siemens-healthineers.com.
