First AI Product for Incidental Critical Findings: Aidoc’s Solution for Flagging Pulmonary Embolism in Unexpected Settings Granted EU Approval

By AIT News Desk On May 8, 2020

A vital safety net for radiologists as COVID-19 related imaging backlogs are released

Aidoc announced that it obtained a European Union CE mark for the first AI solution for flagging incidental pulmonary embolism (iPE) in contrast-enhanced CT. Flagging incidental, critical findings is a huge technical challenge due to the varied imaging protocols used and lower incidences of such cases. The ability to prioritize incidental critical conditions accurately is a breakthrough in the value AI can bring to the radiologists’ workflow.

“One of our oncologic patient’s lives was saved thanks to Aidoc,” said Dr. Gustavo Meirelles, Medical Manager of Radiology, Strategy and Innovation, Grupo Fleury. “The patient underwent a routine chest CT with IV contrast that would only be read in the next couple of days. Aidoc set a priority and there was an incidental PE. We spoke with the clinician and the patient immediately and triaged her to the hospital to be treated – from days to minutes!”

It is estimated that pulmonary embolism is the second-most common cause of death in cancer patients, for which the vast majority of all fatalities are only found after death. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve outcomes and saves lives. Studies suggesting an incidental prevalence of PE as high as 2.6% further emphasize the need for a solution that can ensure that these incidental cases are addressed in a timely manner. Aidoc’s CE-cleared solution flags incidental PEs in contrast-enhanced CT scans, regardless of whether it was an elective or emergency scan reducing turnaround times for patients with incidental findings from hours to minutes.

“There’s a reason why most AI triage solutions don’t focus on incidental findings,” said Michael Braginsky, Aidoc’s CTO. “Because the prevalence of incidental findings is so low, the specificity of the AI must be especially high, otherwise the false positive ratio will be too high and user adoption will be negatively impacted. In addition, an incidental PE algorithm detects PE in non-dedicated exams, with lower exam quality which challenges the AI even further. It was a scientific breakthrough that our team achieved that made the release of this product possible.”

Ahead of an expected surge of delayed elective medical imaging due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aidoc’s iPE flagging, combined with the company’s other critical solutions, forms a vital safety net that will help healthcare systems responsibly and efficiently address urgent, life-threatening conditions while managing their backlogs. The incidental PE product is the latest addition to Aidoc’s suite of AI radiology solutions with FDA and CE clearances that flag critical conditions, aiding in the prioritization of intracranial haemorrhage, large-vessel occlusion, PE in pulmonary angiography and cervical spine fractures.