Author: Julie Sufana
AI advances lung cancer diagnostics
contextflow integrates additional features into ADVANCE Chest CT
Software is ever-evolving, as do user requirements. So it is only logical that companies benefit from the know-how of their customers. At least that’s how contextflow views the product development process. The Vienna-based machine learning in radiology expert has implemented corresponding suggestions into its new version of ADVANCE Chest CT.
Brand new for RSNA in Chicago is the name ADVANCE Chest CT. contextflow’s core product was previously named SEARCH Lung CT, but additional features necessitated an update in the product’s name, which also suggests an ADVANCEing forward of innovation to combat interstitial lung diseases, COPD and lung cancer. And these advances are paying off: contextflow will be shown or discussed at twelve partner booths at RSNA22!
One of ADVANCE Chest CT’s most-requested and newest features is TIMELINE for lung nodules. It automatically visualizes and quantifies changes in lung nodules over time, allowing radiologists to view multiple prior exams side-by-side. “Radiologists tell us they spend a lot of time preparing for follow-up examinations and tumor boards. With TIMELINE, they can view prior scans instantly, with consistent measurements of nodule characteristics, and we expect it will save radiologists a great deal of time,” says Marcel Wassink, Chief Commercial Officer at contextflow.
Another innovation, the integration of RevealAI-Lung from RevealDx into ADVANCE Chest CT, also supports the diagnosis of lung cancer by indicating malignancy similarity index for each nodule. “Lung cancer screening is currently expensive and slow, and it often leads to unnecessary procedures and stress for the patient. Implementing the lung nodule characterization component from RevealAI-Lung was a no-brainer because its clinical evaluation showed it could significantly impact on clinical decision making,” says contextflow Chief Product Officer Markus Krenn. In a clinical study published in September in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, it has been shown that the number of false positive and negative findings can be significantly reduced. When implemented in clinical routine, this could not only save resources, but also reduce stress for patients by avoiding unnecessary examinations.
In addition to RevealAI-Lung, Elsevier’s STATdx is integrated into ADVANCE Chest CT: STATdx provides radiologists with a list of possible differential diagnoses for a defined finding. With 1,400 differential diagnosis modules, the software includes more than 4,700 common and complex diagnoses with 200,000 image examples. “Through this partnership, we can support our users in faster and simpler reporting. In addition, Elsevier provides a systematic approach that allows radiologists to earn CME points virtually on the side,” says Marcel Wassink, describing the advantages of the integration.
For information on how contextflow ADVANCE Chest CT can support you with complex ILD, COPD and lung cancer cases, contact sales@contextflow.com or visit contextflow at RSNA: AI Showcase in South Hall Level 3, Booth 4649.
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Out with the old, ADVANCEing towards the new! Announcing our new product name: contextflow ADVANCE Chest CT!
Why? As our capabilities have grown, we recognize that SEARCH Lung CT no longer properly encompasses the wide range of features we now offer. What started as a 3D search engine for medical images now comprises a comprehensive computer-aided detection software for the entire chest, including quantitative information for suspected ILD, COPD and lung cancer cases. ADVANCE also reflects our constant push forward towards transparent, integrated AI for radiologists.
What? contextflow ADVANCE Chest CT officially replaces the name SEARCH Lung CT. No worries – You can still access SEARCH as part of ADVANCE; only now you also get nodule detection, nodule tracking and lung tissue analysis all-in-one! And all integrated directly into your PACS, of course;)
When? Name changes take time, so we’re currently working on updating our website and materials to reflect this update.
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Sectra & contextflow partner up for Radiology Symposium in Mainz
On September 28, 2022, we had the pleasure of co-hosting the Mainz Radiology Symposium. Together with our partner Sectra and Prof. Peter Mildenberger, many participants came together to discuss the latest developments in Structured Reporting and Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR).
Here, our Business Development Manager – DACH Mark Rawanschad presented the latest version of contextflow SEARCH Lung CT, emphasizing its deep integration with Sectra PACS.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Sectra and Prof. Mildenberger for co-organizing the event, to Bootshaus Mainz for providing an excellent venue, and to all participants for sharing their experiences.
Read up on the full event in Radiologie Magazin here (German).
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Signify Research’s take on contextflow’s partnership with RevealDx
Signify Research is widely-respected in our industry for its in-depth analyses of current market trends. That’s why we’re honored to have been featured in the article titled “contextflow Reveals Its Hand“, discussing the why behind our recent partnership announcment with RevealDx.
RevealDx developed RevealAIöLung, the world’s first CADx software for the characterization of lung nodules to receive the CE Mark. The company recently completed its pivotal clinical trial which demonstrated significant improvement in both early detection of malignant nodules and reduction in false positive nodules in both screening and incidental cohorts. By integrating this patented technology into clinical routine, healthcare providers can reduce unnecessary procedures, cost and stress for patients with lung nodules.
Signify Research’s take? “contextflow’s SEARCH solution remains unique in the market today. No other vendor offers a similar value proposition. Further, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology highlighted Reveal DX’s ability to help clinicians diagnose lung cancer sooner with improved specificity. By bringing these capabilities together, both vendors have created a comprehensive lung cancer solution for CT imaging that can, on paper, outcompete most of its competitors.”
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Softway Medical Group partners with contextflow to bring comprehensive AI support for lung pathologies to France
October 6, 2022 – With this partnership announced in advance of JFR 2022, Softway Medical – the French leader in health information systems – augments its offer for medical imaging professionals.
By making contextflow SEARCH Lung CT accessible from its applications, Softway Medical Group is now in a position to offer its clients a complete clinical decision support solution for interstitial lung diseases (ILD), COPD and lung cancer. This is the first time that such a solution will be offered to medical imaging professionals in France.
For users, the benefits are significant. In a recent clinical study at the Medical University of Vienna, average report reading time decreased by 31% when an earlier version of contextflow SEARCH Lung CT was present for use.*
contextflow SEARCH Lung CT, a comprehensive solution integrated directly into the radiologist’s workflow
contextflow SEARCH Lung CT is now available on Softway Medical’s SYNAPSE PACS and will soon be fully integrated into the easIA platform. The results of the analyses of this new AI algorithm will be available to the radiologist directly in the worklist of the RIS ONE MANAGER and VENUS.
This is a pragmatic response to the challenges faced by radiologists seeking to increase their productivity and the relevance of their diagnoses for the benefit of patients. “We are very pleased with this partnership with contextflow, an inspiring company with whom we share a common vision of health information systems that should serve professionals without replacing them. Our teams are working hand in hand to integrate the solution with our applications,” says Jean-Baptiste Franceschini, Marketing and Communication Director of Softway Medical Group.
The easIA platform was designed to organize, secure and centralize exchanges between the RIS and partner AI engines.
Interested parties can meet contextflow at JFR 2022 at the innovation station at Softway Medical’s stand 1N07.
*Recent clinical study conducted at the Medical University of Vienna: researchers observed an average time saving of 31% in reading studies when using
earlier version of SEARCH Lung CT.
About Softway Medical
Committed to providing healthcare professionals with the best digital solutions, SOFTWAY MEDICAL, the French leader in healthcare software, continues to innovate in order to contribute to making France one of the standard bearers of e-health. As a host and integrator of solutions for healthcare professionals for over 25 years, SOFTWAY MEDICAL’s mission is to enable
physicians to make informed decisions and fully exploit their capabilities. Because in the field of health, nothing can replace the discernment of human intelligence; thus, SOFTWAY MEDICAL considers technology and data management as a means to increase the potential of anyone who uses it. Its innovations have only one objective, to allow each of its users to fully exploit their capacities and to make informed decisions in their daily work in the interest of the patient. This profession of faith has enabled the company to become the leading French Hospital Information Systems (HIS) publisher in France. https://www.softwaymedical.fr/
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Clinical study on contextflow SEARCH Lung CT published in European Radiology shows 31% reading time savings
Our first clinical study in the European Radiology Journal from the European Society of Radiology has been published! The study, in collaboration with the Medizinische Universität Wien and Universitätsklinikum AKH Wien shows reading time decreased by 31% when contextflow SEARCH Lung CT was available for use. Open access link here.
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The 2022 Aunt Minnie Award Nominations have been announced…and contextflow is up for two categories!
This year’s campaign includes over 200 candidates in 14 categories, ranging from Most Influential Radiology Researcher to Best Educational Mobile App. contextflow was honored to be nominated in two categories:
Best New Radiology Software (SEARCH Lung CT)
Scientific Paper of the Year (Impact of a content-based image retrieval system on the interpretation of chest CTs of patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Röhrich S et al, European Radiology, July 2, 2022.)
Check out the full nominee list here!
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GE Healthcare in collaboration with Nex Cubed select six digital health start-ups for inaugural Edison Accelerator in Canada
Toronto, Canada – August 9 – Six digital health start-ups from five countries have officially become the first cohort of the Edison Accelerator in Canada – a program designed by GE Healthcare and delivered in collaboration with Nex Cubed to accelerate, validate, and scale innovative solutions that address important challenges in the healthcare sector.
The companies all focus on applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to augment medical imaging with the potential to transform how healthcare is delivered. AI is poised to increase productivity and the efficiency of care delivery and allow healthcare systems to provide better care to more people. AI can help improve the experience of healthcare practitioners, with the goal of enabling them to spend more time in direct patient care and reducing burnout.
The selected companies were chosen as they demonstrated innovative and scalable solutions to pressing problems in the healthcare sector. “GE’s Edison Digital Health Platform is designed with specific focus on hosting applications developed by innovative third parties. It comes with a rich set of development tools to build and integrate applications. We are starting to see the use of AI in clinical practice and our goal is to accelerate this by supporting the most promising innovators and playing an active role in the Canadian health tech ecosystem.” said Paritosh Dhawale, PhD, SVP and GM, Edison Digital Health Platform at GE Healthcare. The companies in the program are:
- 16 Bit Inc :16 Bit is a physician-founded startup that created a computer-aided detection and notification software that is intended to function as an opportunistic prescreening device for low bone mineral density using routinely acquired x-rays of the chest, spine, pelvis, knee or hand.
- Bot Image: Bot Image is a medical device company that created a product for post-processing MRI that is using artificial intelligence (AI) to aid physicians in image interpretation by providing highly accurate prostate cancer diagnostics. The software is provided as a SaaS model or can be installed behind the client’s firewall.
- CardioWise: CardioWise is an AI cardiac image analysis company that simplifies the diagnosis of heart disease enabling a quantitative diagnostic evaluation of the heart system using CT data. CardioWise analysis will provide caregivers with next generation algorithms and data to help physicians to make better more informed decisions about patient care.
- contextflow : contextflow develops deep learning-based tools to enable radiologists to complete their daily workload faster and with higher quality and offers comprehensive clinical decision support for lung CT, providing quantitative and qualitative analysis of lung disease patterns and nodules related to ILD, COPD and lung cancer.
- corelinesoft: corelinesoft specializes in AI development that provides medical image processing solutions with a mission to drive for a future where one simple scan can reveal any ailment and provide for early screening and prevention – for example utilizing AI to detect nodules that have the possibility of progressing into lung cancer.
- US2.ai: Us2.ai is a software start-up founded in 2017 and backed by Sequoia; Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research; and IHH Healthcare that automates the fight against heart disease through AI with AI-structured reports processed automatically in under 2 minutes.
“We are honored to have this exceptional group of companies on board our first Canadian Edison accelerator. Each of our finalists are solving real problems in medical imaging and we look forward to working with them over the coming months,” said Matthew Khoory, Senior Director – Solutions and Digital Development, GE Healthcare Canada.
As such, in addition to the six startups, Circle Cardiovascular Imaging, a prominent global medical imaging company, who is already collaborating and has integrated its stroke-focused AI-based tools with GE Healthcare’s FastStroke processing platform, is leveraging the Edison Accelerator to accelerate the integration of its StrokeSENS software with the Edison Platform.
Over the next three months, the seven companies will test their solution within the Edison Digital Health Platform, which takes a vendor-agnostic approach to developing and deploying Artificial Intelligence at scale integrated within the clinical workflow. Each company will get a customized program plan and hand-picked mentors with the aim to accelerate integration and commercialization.
“Nex Cubed has a successful heritage of startup formation and acceleration for companies ranging from ideation to innovation, angel to seed, and growth to IPO. This enables us to work with companies at any stage, across the globe from the USA, Luxembourg, Singapore, Korea, Canada and beyond,” said Marlon Evans, CEO at Nex Cubed. “Through our partnership with GE Healthcare, we are able to accelerate the growth and impact of innovative digital health solutions tackling critical issues within the healthcare ecosystem.”
The program culminates with an Innovation Showcase during which all participants will present to a network of investors, potential business partners and customers, who could help take their companies to the next level. Subject to applicable regulatory authorizations, successful applications may have the opportunity to be distributed through the GE Healthcare Marketplace after culmination of relevant steps that include commercial distribution agreements. GE Healthcare Marketplace is GE Healthcare’s online store that allows customers to find and buy applications and algorithms from a range of third-party developers that can be integrated within their clinical and operational workflows to help healthcare providers improve outcomes for patients.
About GE Healthcare:
GE Healthcare is the $17.7 billion healthcare business of GE (NYSE: GE). As a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator, GE Healthcare enables clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications and services, supported by its Edison intelligence platform. With over 100 years of healthcare industry experience and around 48,000 employees globally, the company operates at the center of an ecosystem working toward precision health, digitizing healthcare, helping drive productivity and improve outcomes for patients, providers, health systems and researchers around the world.
About Nex Cubed:
Nex Cubed is an investor and innovation partner that empowers startups, investors, corporates, academia, and governments to bring new technologies to market, helps rising companies scale, and provides paths to liquidity – the power of three. Over the last 5 years, Nex Cubed has established itself as a leader in corporate innovation and startup acceleration, creating a global ecosystem of 3 industry-specific COEs (Frontier Tech, Digital Health, and FinTech), 81 portfolio companies, 20+ corporate partners, 100+ investment partners, 50+ strategic advisors, and over 140 mentors. To date, Nex Cubed portfolio companies have an aggregate value of over half a billion dollars and nearly 60% of the Nex Cubed portfolio is led by female or minority founders.
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RevealDx and contextflow team up to improve lung cancer screening in the EU via enhanced nodule characterization
RevealDx appoints contextflow as its exclusive distributor in the European Union and selected territories. The companies also announce trial installation discounts for select customers.
Chest specialists RevealDx and contextflow announced today an agreement for exclusive distribution of RevealDx’ products in the EU and other selected territories. The companies will be launching their integrated solution at the upcoming IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer in Vienna in August.
RevealDx developed RevealAI-Lung, the world’s first CADx software for the characterization of lung nodules to receive the CE Mark. The company recently completed its pivotal clinical trial which demonstrated significant improvement in both early detection of malignant nodules and reduction in false positive nodules in both screening and incidental cohorts.* By integrating this patented technology into clinical routine, healthcare providers can reduce unnecessary procedures, cost and stress for patients with lung nodules. *publication Fall 2022
contextflow is an industry leader in AI-based medical devices for radiologists evaluating chest CTs. Its core technology is SEARCH Lung CT, a clinical decision support system that automatically detects, quantifies and visualizes key disease patterns and lung nodules in CTs of the lungs over time, displaying relevant information directly in the radiologist’s PACS viewer. The tool is relevant for the analysis of many suspected diseases, including interstitial lung disease (ILD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. By including RevealDx’ lung nodule characterization technology into SEARCH Lung CT, contextflow strengthens its capabilities even further in the area of lung cancer screening by providing not just quantifications but also classification of lung nodule types.
Integrating RevealDx’ nodule characterization technology into SEARCH Lung CT was a logical next step for both sides. As Chris Wood, CEO of RevealDx says, “We are thrilled to be partnering with contextflow. They have developed the most comprehensive set of tools for reading chest CT available today. Adding RevealAI-Lung to their system makes it far and away the best solution to efficiently and accurately interpret these challenging lung cancer cases.”
Markus Holzer, CEO of contextflow continues, “The RevealAI-Lung software has been well integrated into our software, creating a seamless experience for users. We recently launched our nodule detection software and quickly realized that characterization of nodules is essential to make a significant impact on patient care. Partnering with RevealDx adds a layer of detail that we feel will become indispensable for reducing false positives and false negatives during lung cancer screening as well as in standard clinical routine.”
To schedule a virtual demo or book an appointment at IASLC, contact sales@contextflow.com.
About RevealDx
RevealDx developed RevealAI-Lung, the world’s first CADx software for the characterization of lung nodules to receive the CE Mark. RevealAI-Lung has been validated in clinical studies that show improvement in diagnostic precision using our patented methods. Results demonstrate the software can significantly accelerate lung cancer diagnosis and reduce unnecessary procedures. https://reveal-dx.com/