Pune: Recently there have been notable developments in health tech diagnostics due to Artificial Intelligence tools for analyzing medical scans like X-Ray, CT, and MRI. In this era where a shortage of radiologists is felt globally - Artificial Intelligence (AI) lead solutions are assisting in improving reporting quality, reduce turnaround time while helping to make medical image reading services more accessible and affordable.

DeepTek Medical Imaging Pvt. Ltd. (a Pune - India based technology venture; Managing Director - Ajit Patil) and MDM Inc. (Tokyo - Japan-based medical technology venture; Representative - Chie Akusawa) announced a collaborative research and development initiative towards developing an AI-based solution for the screening of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) using chest radiography.

DeepTek has already deployed a similar population screening solution for Tuberculosis (TB) screening. It instantaneously processes chest radiographs to identify potential TB and other infections. This solution has been used for public health screening of over 75,000 individuals in India. DeepTek's TB solution is also being leveraged in the APAC region. Over 1.2 million people die of TB annually.

WHO is working on a mission to stop the TB epidemic by the year 2030; while India has set up a target of the year 2025. With the rapid spread of the new COVID-19 infection globally, MBM Inc. has taken an initiative towards developing a similar solution that can help reduce stress on healthcare professionals and enable better patient care.

The solution will process chest radiographs to screen a subclass of the broader condition of pneumonia using deep learning algorithms. This can be helpful in screening for epidemics and pandemics like the COVID-19, SARS, H1N1 outbreaks in appropriate clinical settings. The solution is expected to be available for trials from early May 2020.

MBM is a Japanese company conducting R&D and sales of AI systems for medical use. MBM is an IBM partner in Japan. DeepTek's medical AI solution will be installed in the MBM's and AI image diagnosis support device which it plans to sell in Japan from this year and explore global opportunities in the years to follow.

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