Abbott Laboratories received U.S. FDA approval for an expanded indication for its spinal cord stimulator (SCS) devices to include treatment of chronic back pain for individuals who have not had or are ineligible for back surgery. The FDA based its decision on the positive results from the DISTINCT study which showed that 85.2% of patients implanted with the SCS devices achieved significant reduction in back pain compared to 7.1% of those who received conservative medical management.
Aidoc Medical Ltd. has just presented a study using its AI tool in the Netherlands Cancers Institute for detection and worklist prioritization to diagnose incidental pulmonary embolism at routine contrast-enhanced chest CT. The results published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging show a reduction by 15% of the missed rate of incidental pulmonary embolism and by more than 98% of the notification time for positive incidental pulmonary embolism. “Our AI system gives a response related to the interpretation, quantification and workflow management,” Elad Walach, co-founder and CEO of Aidoc Medical, told BioWorld. Due to the growing volume of radiology examinations, particularly in thoracic imaging, and the lack of supply radiologists, the delay between the CT examinations and their interpretation has increased significantly in many practices. This is particularly true for pulmonary embolism (PE).
With AU$20 million (US$13.56 million) in new funding, 4dmedical Ltd. is ramping up its commercialization efforts of its four-dimensional lung imaging platform in the U.S.
Eitan Medical Ltd. plans to launch its Avoset infusion system into the U.S. later this year, following the introduction of the multi-therapy ambulatory infusion system into the European market. The connected Avoset infusion system is expected to transform the way patients receive treatment in post-acute care, as it enables remote monitoring of infusion treatment which will enhance patient safety and improve the user experience.
Moleculight Inc. published a study on the impact of skin pigmentation on the clinical diagnosis of wound infection that could have profound implications for implicit or unconscious racial bias among diagnosticians. The paper in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities pointed to lack of clinical training and educational resources on diverse skin tones and of diagnostic tools to address unique clinical attributes of patients with darker skin tones.
The €15 million (US$16.45 million) loan Smart Reporting GmbH recently received from the European Investment Bank (EIB) will take the company a “long way” as it looks to expand the use of its artificial intelligence (AI)-based medical documentation technology which “helps clinicians improve their workflow and patients to get better care,” co-CEO Peter Vanovertveld, told BioWorld.
Gilde Healthcare Partners BV raised €600 million (US$658 million) in capital commitments for a new investment fund which will be deployed into companies across Europe and the U.S active in digital healthcare, medical technology and therapeutics. The fund, ‘Venture&Growth VI’, will focus on investing in fast growing companies developing solutions for better care at lower cost.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention has just published a decree introducing the anticipated coverage by the National Health Insurance Fund of digital medical devices and remote medical monitoring activities.
Nuralogix Corp.’s Anura health platform has expanded its capabilities to predict health risks using transdermal optical imaging (TOI) technology to include fatty liver disease (FLD), which affects an estimated quarter of the U.S. population. The platform uses facial blood flow patterns to provide medical-grade assessments of more than 30 health vital signs using any video-enabled device.