Artificial intelligence at the point of care

Integrating pathology detection into the user-friendly Musica Acquisition Workstation.

Agfa Radiology Solutions is a major player in the diagnostic imaging market, providing analogue and digital imaging technology to meet the needs of specialised healthcare professionals in hospitals and imaging centers around the world. Agfa’s goal is to help radiologists, technicians and healthcare systems to continuously improve the quality and efficiency of their patient care.

There is an increasing demand for solutions that use artificial intelligence to make the user’s daily work easier, increase productivity, but also meet clinical aspects such as improved patient care in terms of dose savings and the avoidance of retakes.

In response, Agfa Radiology Solutions is continuously developing software- and hardware-based components. With the 2020 launch of SmartXR, Agfa’s intelligent x-ray assistance, Agfa is helping to deliver definitive answers to patients. Camera-guided positioning tools and purely software-based DeepLearning algorithms to correctly align x-ray images are only part of our answer to this question.

With the integration of Lunit Insight CXR into the well-known Musica workstation environment, another key function has now found its way into the artificial intelligence portfolio: ScanXR. ScanXR supports simple and safer patient care with its software tool CriticalScan. As with all of Agfa’s AI-based solutions, special emphasis was placed on CriticalScan operating completely in the background, meaning the tool is not influencing the basic workflow on his own.

CriticalScan recognises up to 10 predefined pathologies for thoracic diagnostics. The pathologies considered critical for a department are determined and stored in the system by the application. If a pathology defined as critical is detected, the locally defined process can be started directly before the study is completed.

If a defined pathology is detected, the user is informed via colour-defined indicator in the Musica Acquisition Workstation. In addition, an information field appears that gives the option to confirm the detection of critical pathology immediately or at a later time. Within the Acquisition Workstation it is then possible to view the detected pathologies and start the internally agreed process. For example, it is possible to declare the study as high priority before it is closed, so that it is given priority on the PACS side.

The x-ray image to be archived is supplemented by a ‘secondary capture’ in which the areas where pathology has been detected are highlighted. In addition, the software indicates the probability of finding the detected pathology in this area. If no pathology defined as critical is found, this is only indicated by colour coding the study in the worklist.

ScanXR aims to ensure timely care and confidence for outpatients and inpatients. Mobile and stationary x-ray solutions from Agfa Radiology Solutions can be configured with ScanXR.

This news story has been sponsored by the companies concerned and does not represent the views or opinions of RAD Magazine.