RSNA 2018 is a wrap, but the buzz
continues, and we want to thank everyone that visited with iCAD during the show
that had the opportunity to experience our ProFound
AI solution for breast
tomosynthesis and those we have met with since the show closed.
As you can imagine, lots has
changed in the field of radiology over the past several decades, which made the
meeting especially interesting and perhaps one of the best yet. Each year, thousands of radiologists, health
imaging specialists and other healthcare practitioners gather for a week of
networking, educational courses, exhibits and plenary sessions during the
Radiological Society of North America’s (RSNA) Annual Meeting.
Hot topics at the show ranged from
artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to 3D printing and virtual
reality. Attendees from around the globe had the opportunity to dive into the
latest research and experience live how these new advancements in technology are
impacting the industry.
At iCAD, AI is within our sweet
spot. At RSNA this year, we had the pleasure of revealing ProFound
AI™ solution for digital breast tomosynthesis.
Since our return from RSNA 2018
we received FDA clearance and ProFound AI is now
available in the US.
ProFound AI is a high-performance,
deep-learning, cancer detection and workflow solution for DBT delivering
critical benefits to radiologists, their facilities, and their
patients through improvement of cancer detection rates by an average of 8
percent and decreasing unnecessary patient recall rates by an average of 7
percent. The new technology is trained to detect malignant soft-tissue
densities and calcifications in 3D DBT
slices with unrivaled accuracy. It also
provides radiologists with scoring information representing the likelihood that
a detection or case is malignant based on the large dataset of clinical images
used to train the algorithm.
Built on the latest deep-learning
technology, the solution is clinically proven to assist radiologists in
addressing the challenges of reading tomosynthesis cases by:
- Improving
cancer detection rates - Reducing
false positives and unnecessary patient recalls - Decreasing
reading times
Also, at the show, Emily F.
Conant, MD, discussed results from a recent study that compared the performance
of 24 radiologists reading 260 DBT cases both with and without our ProFound AI
solution. The findings showed that the concurrent use of our solution by
radiologist study participants improved cancer detection rates with an average
increase in sensitivity of 8.0 percent. The false positive rate decreased with
an average improvement in specificity of 6.9 percent, and the solution also
delivered significant workflow benefits by reducing reading time by 52.7
percent on average. According to Emily, “To increase both sensitivity and
specificity while also substantially reducing reading time is an impressive
outcome.”
During another exciting iCAD
activation, Senthil
Periaswamy, Ph.D., vice president of
research at iCAD, spoke with a group of show attendees about how AI can improve
diagnostic performance and reduce reading time in breast tomosynthesis. He also
shared how iCAD utilized deep learning technology to train our ProFound AI
algorithm, and touched on the value and benefits we recognized about the
solution during our reader study and what iCAD’s vision is for AI moving
forward. His presentation took place in the AI Theatre/Machine Learning
Showcase, which was filled with energy and excitement throughout the week-long
event.
Finally, iCAD had the opportunity to host an
evening reception, AI After Dark,
featuring four leading experts in breast imaging – Emily Conant, MD; Axel Gräwingholt, MD; Rachel Brem, MD; and Jeff Hoffmeister, MD. The experts
shared their vision for the future of AI in breast imaging and touched on their
beliefs on how industry players should embrace, rather than be threatened by,
innovative AI technology.
RSNA 2018 was a wonderful
experience and opportunity and we are thrilled for next year’s event. Looking
forward, one thing is for sure – AI will continue to be a hot topic as it
relates to healthcare and more specifically, breast imaging. As a leader in
this space, we cannot be more thrilled. And we want to hear from you – what
do you all anticipate for AI in 2019? Let us know in the comments or
contact us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
In addition, we invite those who are interested in
learning more about ProFound AI to contact a
member of our team today, and discover how our solution can make an impact on
staff and patients at your healthcare facility.
About iCAD:
iCAD is a global medical technology leader providing innovative cancer detection and therapy solutions. We work passionately to provide precise, powerful healthcare solutions expertly engineered to optimize operational efficiency, clinician confidence and patient outcomes. iCAD offers a comprehensive range of artificial intelligence and workflow solutions to support rapid and accurate detection of breast and colorectal cancers. For more information, visit www.icadmed.com or www.xoftinc.com.