Behold.ai wins UK’s most prestigious life science innovation award
Behold.ai's pioneering software for detecting lung cancer from x-rays has won an award considered the Nobel Prize of health technology.
Behold.AI won Best UK Digital Health Solution at the Prix Galien awards ceremony on 12th May for their red dot® clinical analysis software.
The red dot® artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm is a pioneering software as a medical device that can process adult (18+) frontal chest x-rays and flag a suspected nodule or mass to a radiologist within 30 seconds.
Patients with chest x-rays that show potential lung cancer can then be prioritised for further examination and a same-day CT.
With the technology, the time from initial scan to referral under current standards of care is reduced to 1 hour 40 minutes, supporting Trusts to meet the 28-day cancer diagnosis target.
The software, which was developed in collaboration with NHS consultant radiologists, aims to tackle the current NHS elective care backlog, which is predicted to rise from 6.1 million today to 12 million by March 2025.
The red dot ® algorithm provides two outputs – a subset of abnormal x-rays with a high probability of being lung cancer, and another subset of x-rays with a very high likelihood of being normal.
The latter x-rays, called High Confidence Normal (HCN), can be removed from the radiologist’s workload.
By autonomously ruling out normal x-rays, red dot® frees up radiology capacity and allows radiologists to spend more time on diagnosing patients with potential lung cancers. Around 15% of scans can be auto-reported as HCN, equivalent to 1.2 million scans a year.
By ramping up speed and standardising the accuracy of diagnosis, red dot® can help to reduce healthcare inequalities by ‘levelling up’ health outcomes in the areas of the UK where cancer targets are not being met.
The red dot ® algorithm is currently in use at several NHS hospital sites as part of an independent validation on patient data. The results are due to be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Simon Rasalingham, CEO and Chairman of Behold.AI, said in his Prix Galien UK award acceptance speech:
“When we talk about the next big problem after COVID, it’s going to be the NHS backlog of 12 million patients, nearly a quarter of the adult population of the UK.
“This award will give us the forward momentum and recognition to implement our technology to tackle this NHS backlog.
“The peer reviewed evidence we are building up shows that if we roll this technology out nationally we can add in the equivalent of 233 NHS consultant radiologists, which is equivalent to 255,000 hours of consultant time per year.”
He adds:
“Nationally, an estimated 90% of misdiagnosis happens when a patient presents for a chest x-ray. We believe that our technology can pick up 22,000 more cases of lung cancer every year, giving these people a significantly better chance of beating the disease.”
The UK Prix Galien awards are managed and hosted by The Galien Foundation.
“It was remarkable to be in the company of many great innovators who have dedicated their lives to bringing better health to patients around the world through their ground-breaking work in research and development,” said Professor Sir Mark Walport, Honorary Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Imperial College, and Prix Galien UK Committee Chair.
“The Prix Galien Award Committees evaluated extraordinary companies and product candidates for this year’s Prix Galien Awards, and we remain inspired by their commitment to advancing the quality of care provided for all.”
Behold.ai wins Government funding through the Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award for lung cancer detection platform
Behold.ai, a regulated, autonomous Artificial Intelligence (AI) diagnostics company announced today that it has been awarded Government funding in the latest round of the Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award. The Award will fund the set-up of two clinical trials sites for its red dot® lung cancer detection computing platform, in NHS radiology departments, allowing the company to collect further data and support future national roll-out.
Behold.ai was one of five winners for Phase 4 of the Award to support initial national adoption. It is also one of 38 organisations to receive funding to support the advancement and widespread use of AI technologies as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan. Its red dot® algorithm looks to fast-track lung cancer patients who have received an irregular chest x-ray for a CAT (CT) scan, reducing the approximate wait time from 24 days to as little as one hour and 40 minutes.1 Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK and is the single largest cause of cancer-related deaths.2
“This is an important milestone in our journey and will allow us to gain further NHS evidence to support this new form of diagnostic medicine which is already available for use,” said Simon Rasalingham, CEO and Chairman of Behold.ai. “Our peer reviewed paper published this month has shown that we can combine the power of AI and clinician expertise to create a ‘super-human’ clinician, while increasing capacity and reducing costs. At behold.ai we are committed to bringing innovative solutions that improve patient outcomes through faster diagnosis and earlier treatment.”
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 150,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making.
The AI Award is making £140 million available over four years to accelerate the testing and evaluation of AI technologies. The Award aims to increase the impact of AI-driven technologies to help solve clinical and operational challenges across the NHS and care settings. It will speed up the most promising technologies through the regulatory process by building an evidence base to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of AI-driven technologies in health and social care.
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About behold.ai
Behold.ai utilise cutting-edge science to pioneer new forms of diagnostic medicine; this innovative approach to healthcare is a step change in the treatment and prevention of diseases, delivering benefits to patients across the NHS today.
Behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its regulated red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. Behold.ai’s technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 150,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.
About the Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award
The Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award is one of the NHS AI Lab programmes, led by NHSX. The competitive award scheme is run by the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) in partnership with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
NHSX is a joint unit of teams from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England and Improvement, driving forward the digital transformation of health and social care. www.nhsx.nhs.uk
The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) is a unique partnership between patient groups, government bodies, industry and NHS bodies, working together to streamline the adoption of new innovations in healthcare. www.england.nhs.uk/aac
The National Institute for Health and Research (NIHR) provides the people, facilities, and technology that enable research to thrive. www.nihr.ac.uk
References
1 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Hospital Trust
2 C. R. Smittenaar, K. A. Petersen, K. Stewart, and N. Moitt, “Cancer incidence and mortality projections in the UK until 2035,” Br. J. Cancer, 2016, doi: 10.1038/bjc.2016.304
Behold.ai partners with Apollo Hospitals Group, India for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis using AI-based chest X-ray technology
World’s largest deployment of a radiology-based AI diagnostic solution for COVID-19
LONDON, UK – Behold.ai, the UK Artificial Intelligence radiology company, today announced its partnership with Apollo Radiology International, part of the Apollo Hospitals Group and a leading provider of interpretative and other clinical radiological services, on a pilot programme using Behold.ai’s ‘instant triage’ AI-based chest X-ray technology to quickly triage suspected COVID-19 patients. This ‘instant triage’ will boost India’s efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by potentially speeding up diagnosis and ensuring proper allocation of resources.
Behold.ai will supply its red dot® algorithm via Apollo Radiology International to Apollo Hospitals’ network of 71 hospitals in India, comprising 12,000 beds. The algorithm will also be deployed in some local government-run hospitals in India as part of the pilot programme making it the world’s largest deployment of a radiology-based AI diagnostic solution for COVID-19. The service is expected to go live when the lockdown measures are eased by the government of India.
The red dot® algorithm is able to diagnose chext X-rays as ‘normal’ or abnormal in 30 seconds. This ‘instant triage’ offers clear benefits over conventional human-read processes when time is of the essence. Behold.ai was recently issued with what is believed to be the world’s first CE Mark Class IIa certification in the UK and Europe for its red dot® algorithm. The technology has also been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and commercial rollout in the US is planned for later this year.
“Working with a leading hospital provider like Apollo Hospitals is an important milestone for a UK company in the global AI marketplace. We continue to work to make our AI-based technology available in countries around the world,” said behold.ai’s Chairman and Chief Executive Simon Rasalingham. “Our technology has been proven to rapidly diagnose chest X-rays as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ accurately, potentially allowing for faster diagnosis of individuals with COVID-19 and the better management of resources in healthcare systems already stretched by the increase in hospital admissions. If successful, this infinitely scaleable pilot programme could make a significant difference to hospitals across India and the rest of the world struggling to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 in India. Our comprehensive and integrated COVID-19 response plan called Project Kavach has brought together all the resources of Apollo Hospitals against this pandemic. The use of AI has been a critical part of this plan and our AI-powered BOT helped individuals to assess their risk of contracting coronavirus. We look forward to working with Behold.ai to further enhance and accelerate our radiology reporting for COVID-19 patients. This will help us evaluate patients with speed and accuracy,” said Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group
“Radiology reporting for COVID-19 has to be easily accessible, quick and accurate so that immediate decisions can be made on the next steps. To achieve these goals, Apollo Radiology International is setting up a dedicated centralised COVID-19 reporting service. Behold.ai’s chest X-ray algorithm will be an important component of this service. The instant triage provided by this algorithm will be a key factor that will allow our radiologists to provide immediate reports for these patients,” said Dr Sreenivasa Raju Kalidindi, CEO, Apollo Radiology International.
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For further information, please contact: Consilium Strategic Communications
Tel: +44(0)20 3709 5700 beholdai@consilium-comms.com
About behold.ai and radiology
behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. This technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
Radiology departments play an essential role in the diagnostic process; however, a consequence of fewer radiologists and a growing demand for images has left services stretched beyond capacity across many trusts, resulting in reporting delays - in some cases impacting cancer diagnosis. These service issues have been highlighted by the Care Quality Commission and the Royal College of Radiologists.
Our solution seamlessly integrates into local trust workflows augmenting clinical practice and delivering state-of-the-art, safe, Artificial Intelligence.
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 30,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.
About behold.ai and quality
behold.ai has been issued with a CE mark Class IIa certification in the UK and Europe. It has also received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its red dot® algorithm ‘instant triage’ system in relation to the life-threatening condition of pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
In June 2019 behold.ai was awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification for an AI medical device – the ‘gold standard’ of quality certification.
About Apollo Hospitals
It was in 1983, that Dr. Prathap C Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital - Apollo Hospitals in Chennai.
Now, as Asia’s foremost trusted integrated healthcare group, its presence includes over 12,000 beds across 72 Hospitals, 3,400 Pharmacies, over 90 Primary Care clinics and 150 Diagnostic centers, 110 plus Telemedicine Centres, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research. Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical advancements with the most recent investment being the commissioning of South East Asia’s very first Proton Therapy Centre in Chennai.
Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives in its mission to bring healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. In a rare honour, the Government of India has issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo's contribution, the first for a healthcare organisation. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010.
For 35 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Its hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals in India for advanced medical services.
behold.ai awarded CE Mark approval for its AI-based chest X-ray diagnosis technology
Chest X-ray diagnosis to rule out normal exams using the Company’s technology could lead to an estimated £100m in cost savings to the NHS per year
LONDON, UK – behold.ai has been issued with a CE Mark Class lla certification in the UK and EU for its AI-based technology that can diagnose chest X-rays as ‘normal’. This is believed to be the world’s first such approval and has the potential to make up to £100m in cost savings for the UK NHS, the Company estimates.
The algorithm’s high level of accuracy in identifying normal chest x-rays exams means that the red dot® platform can be used to speed up the detection of those suspected with Covid-19.
behold.ai and Wellbeing Software recently announced a collaboration to fast-track the diagnosis of COVID-19 in NHS hospitals using artificial intelligence analysis of chest X-rays. A national roll-out would enable a large number of hospitals to triage suspected COVID-19 patients inside and outside of the hospital setting using chest X-rays. This is currently being used as the key diagnostic test for triage of COVID-19 patients. This solution is also useful in dealing with the backlog of radiology cases, such as suspected lung cancer patients.
The CE Mark approval, issued to the company by the British Standards Institute, relates to the full quality assurance system for behold.ai’s AI technology and to the design, development and manufacture of its red dot® platform.
“This is a great result for the company and for our team of quality leaders, AI engineers and clinicians who have worked for years to develop a system that meets the highest quality standards,” said Simon Rasalingham, Chairman and CEO of behold.ai. “There is, quite rightly, a big focus on ensuring that the relatively new technology of artificial intelligence produces solutions that have a high degree of accuracy, reliability and scalability. This first in-kind regulatory approval is a key achievement for companies in this sector, the first autonomous AI algorithm to rule out normal chest X-rays.”
“Crucially, at a time when NHS radiologists are increasingly reporting images from home, our technology is fast, safe and effective both inside and outside the hospital setting. For examinations identified by our algorithm as normal, with a high degree of confidence, our results can be automatically accepted as being as accurate as an experienced consultant radiologist, and much faster,” said Dr Thomas Naunton Morgan, Chief Medical Officer of behold.ai.
The Company estimates that being able to ‘rule out normal’ could save the NHS over £100m per annum through a reduction in outsourcing costs.
Earlier this year, behold.ai received FDA clearance for its red dot® algorithm ‘instant triage’ system in relation to the life-threatening condition of pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
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For further information, please contact: Consilium Strategic Communications
Tel: +44(0)20 3709 5700 beholdai@consilium-comms.com
About behold.ai and radiology
behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. This technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
Radiology departments play an essential role in the diagnostic process; however, a consequence of fewer radiologists and a growing demand for images has left services stretched beyond capacity across many trusts, resulting in reporting delays - in some cases impacting cancer diagnosis. These service issues have been highlighted by the Care Quality Commission and the Royal College of Radiologists.
Our solution seamlessly integrates into local trust workflows augmenting clinical practice and delivering state-of-the-art, safe, Artificial Intelligence.
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 30,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.
About behold.ai and quality
Apart from its CE mark Class IIa certification, behold.ai has also received FDA clearance for its red dot® algorithm ‘instant triage’ system in relation to the life-threatening condition of pneumothorax (collapsed lung).
In June 2019 the Company was awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification for an AI medical device – the ‘gold standard’ of quality certification.
behold.ai and Wellbeing Software collaborate on national solution for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis using AI analysis of chest X-rays
Companies working to fast-track programme for UK-wide rollout
LONDON, UK – Two British companies at the leading edge of medical imaging technology are working together on a plan to fast-track the diagnosis of COVID-19 in NHS hospitals using artificial intelligence analysis of chest X-rays.
behold.ai has developed the artificial intelligence-based red dot® algorithm which can identify within 30 seconds abnormalities in chest X-rays. Wellbeing Software operates Cris, the UK’s most widely used Radiology Information System (RIS), which is installed in over 700 locations.
A national roll-out combining these two technologies would enable a large number of hospitals to quickly process the significant volume of X-rays, currently being used as the key diagnostic test for triage of COVID-19 patients, thereby speeding up diagnosis and easing pressure on the NHS at this critical time. This solution will also find significant utility in dealing with the backlog of cases that continue to mount, such as suspected cancer patients.
Simon Rasalingham, Chairman and CEO of behold.ai, said:
“behold.ai and Wellbeing are a great fit in terms of expertise and technology. We are able to prioritise abnormal chest X-rays with greater than 90% accuracy and a 30-second turnaround. If that were translated into a busy hospitals coping with COVID-19, the benefits to healthcare systems are potentially enormous.”
Chris Yeowart, Director at Wellbeing Software, said:
“Our technology provides the integration between the algorithm and the hospital’s radiology systems and working processes, addressing the technical challenges to clearing the way for accelerated national rollout. It is clear from talking to radiology departments that chest X-rays have become one of the primary diagnostic tools for COVID-19 in this country.”
https://www.wellbeingsoftware.com/
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For further information, please contact:
Consilium Strategic Communications
Tel: +44(0)20 3709 5700
beholdai@consilium-comms.com
About behold.ai and radiology
behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. This technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
Radiology departments play an essential role in the diagnostic process; however, a consequence of fewer radiologists and a growing demand for images has left services stretched beyond capacity across many trusts, resulting in reporting delays - in some cases impacting cancer diagnosis. These service issues have been highlighted by the Care Quality Commission and the Royal College of Radiologists.
Our solution seamlessly integrates into local trust workflows augmenting clinical practice and delivering state-of-the-art, safe, Artificial Intelligence.
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 30,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.
About behold.ai and quality
Apart from its FDA clearance, behold.ai is also CE approved and is gaining further approval for a CE mark Class IIa certification.
In June 2019 the Company was awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification for an AI medical device – the ‘gold standard’ of quality certification.
About Wellbeing Software
Wellbeing Software is a leading healthcare technology provider with a presence in more than 75% of NHS organisations. The company has combined its extensive UK resources and unparalleled experience in its specialist divisions – radiology, maternity, data management and electronic health records - to form Wellbeing Software, uniting their core businesses to enable customers to build on existing investments in IT as a way of delivering connected healthcare records and better patient care.
Wellbeing’s ability to connect its specialist systems with other third-party software enables healthcare organisations to achieve key objectives, such as paperless working and the creation of complete electronic health records. Through their established footprint, specialist knowledge and significant development resources, the company is building the foundations for connectivity within NHS organisations and beyond.
Wellbeing media contact : Jenni Livesley, Context Public Relations, wellbeing@contextpr.co.uk
behold.ai’s red dot® AI algorithm identifies chest X-rays from COVID-19 patients as ‘abnormal’
‘Instant triage’ capability could potentially speed up diagnosis of COVID-19 individuals and ensure resources are allocated properly.
LONDON, UK – behold.ai today announces that its artificial intelligence-based red dot® algorithm quickly identifies chest X-rays from COVID-19 patients as ‘abnormal’. This ‘instant triage’ could potentially speed up diagnosis of COVID-19 individuals and ensure resources are allocated properly.
“The majority of deaths from COVID-19 are owing to pneumonia in the lungs of vulnerable patients. Pneumonia is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a number of pathogens including, directly or indirectly, COVID-19 infection. Our algorithm can detect abnormal chest X-rays including pneumonia almost instantly. Out of 28 X-rays reviewed from patients with COVID-19, we correctly identified 85% of them as ‘abnormal’ using red dot®,” said Dr Tom Naunton Morgan MB FRCS FRCR, Chief Medical Officer, behold.ai.
“As we evaluate further positive cases from across the world, including here in the UK, our results will be further validated. This will increase the utility of our ‘instant triage’ and potentially help reduce the burden on healthcare systems as more and more cases of pneumonia present and require rapid diagnosis.”
The data follows recent news that behold.ai’s algorithm has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Commercial rollout in the US is planned for later this year.
“Our technology can make a big difference to patient safety, and the delivery of care and cost-savings to health services. It is available here and now to help manage the increased burden that will fall on health systems like the NHS in the coming weeks,” said Simon Rasalingham, Chairman and Chief Executive, behold.ai.
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For further information, please contact:
John V. Wright, Blue Planet Communications
Tel: +44(0)7710 454214
john@blueplanetcommunications.com
About behold.ai and radiology
behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. This technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
Radiology departments play an essential role in the diagnostic process; however, a consequence of fewer radiologists and a growing demand for images has left services stretched beyond capacity across many trusts, resulting in reporting delays - in some cases impacting cancer diagnosis. These service issues have been highlighted by the Care Quality Commission and the Royal College of Radiologists.
Our solution seamlessly integrates into local trust workflows augmenting clinical practice and delivering state-of-the-art, safe, Artificial Intelligence.
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 30,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.
behold.ai and quality
Apart from its FDA clearance, behold.ai is also in the final stages of CE mark Class IIa certification.
In June 2019 the Company was awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification for an AI medical device – the ‘gold standard’ of quality certification.
US FDA clears behold.ai’s AI algorithm for radiology triage
LONDON – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the use of behold.ai’s red dot® algorithm for ‘instant triage’ in radiology. The clearance applies to the life-threatening condition of collapsed lung (pneumothorax) and alerts radiologists as soon as the X-ray image is captured.
‘Instant triage’ offers clear benefits over conventional human-read processes when time is of the essence; the algorithm can also help reduce the cost of diagnosis in conjunction with other products. The Company will charge for this benefit on a per exam basis. The clearance gives behold.ai immediate access to the world’s largest market for medical devices. Commercial rollout in the US is planned for later this year.
This announcement follows a number of other recent highlights at the Company:
- 28 January – Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock singled out behold.ai’s groundbreaking AI implementation at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust in his ‘vital to have for the NHS’ speech
- 29 January – radiologists at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust presented to the British Thoracic Oncology Group conference in Dublin the potential of the Behold.ai algorithm for rapid detection of cancerous abnormalities on patients’ medical chest x-rays
- 2 February – behold.ai’s technology was showcased at the Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Radiology & Medical Imaging Conference in Birmingham
“We are delighted to have received clearance for our algorithm in the US. This is the result of significant time, resource and effort by the team to develop this technology to the point where we can quantifiably trust the AI and audit its decision-making process. Our highly-trained and experienced UK consultant radiologists have continually reviewed, annotated and reported on patient images to help train the algorithm correctly. In the USA, three independent board-certified radiologists checked whether the results were correct against more than 800 cases from the UK and USA to validate the performance of the algorithm,” said Chief Executive Simon Rasalingham. “FDA clearance is not just about safety but also about efficacy. We believe our technology can make a big difference to patient safety, the delivery of care and cost-savings to the system. In the UK, our momentum continues with the roll out of the red dot® solution across the NHS, delivering an essential, cost-effective and safe alternative to the way radiology departments can manage their workload.”
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For further information, please contact: John Wright on 07710 454214 or email: john@blueplanetcommunications.com
About behold.ai and radiology
behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. This technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
Radiology departments play an essential role in the diagnostic process; however, a consequence of fewer radiologists and a growing demand for images has left services stretched beyond capacity across many trusts, resulting in reporting delays - in some cases impacting cancer diagnosis. These service issues have been highlighted by the Care Quality Commission and the Royal College of Radiologists.
Our solution seamlessly integrates into local trust workflows augmenting clinical practice and delivering state-of-the-art, safe, Artificial Intelligence.
The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 30,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.
behold.ai and quality
Apart from FDA clearance, behold.ai is also in the final stages of CE mark Class IIa certification.
In September 2019 the Company was awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification for an AI medical device – the ‘gold standard’ of quality certification.
AI tool shows potential to improve speed of lung cancer detection
- X-rays triaged within seconds, accurately directing doctors to detection of cancerous abnormalities
- Red dot® algorithm developed by behold.ai, a UK technology company
- Data presented at the 18th Annual BTOG conference in Dublin, January 29-31 2020
LONDON – NHS team reports early potential for AI to rapidly detect cancerous abnormalities on patients’ medical chest x-rays.
An algorithm developed by UK tech start-up company behold.ai has been found to competently identify potential cancers in the lungs. The work was presented at the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) annual conference in Dublin on 29 January 2020.
Working with a team at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, the software was run on the chest X-rays of 1,513 patients who had a GP direct referral for a chest X-ray over a two-week period in June and July 2019. The algorithm works by delivering an ‘instant triage’ of each X-ray within seconds.
Although all 1,513 examinations were analysed using the algorithm, the team was specifically interested in cases that were referred by a radiologist or reporting radiographer for a CT scan directly after X-ray, to confirm or rule out cancer.
The hospital radiology team suspected cancer in 39 out of the 1,513 X-rays and referred those 39 patients for a CT scan of the chest. Of the 39 suspected cases, 11 were eventually confirmed histologically to be cancer (through a tissue sample tested in the laboratory).
The algorithm correctly identified the presence and location of 10 out of the 11 histologically confirmed cancers. Therefore had the technology been used to triage cancer patients it could potentially save time to diagnosis on CT scans in most of these patients.
“The AI project is in its early days, but the initial outcomes are very promising. The next steps would be to run clinical trials to create a sound evidence base to demonstrate that it is both safe and beneficial in clinical practice,” said Dr Indrajeet Das, a consultant radiologist at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, who worked on the project.
The National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP) recommends that all routine or urgent chest X-rays referred by the GP for suspected lung cancer should be reported within 24 hours. According to the latest Radiology Review by the Care Quality Commission, NHS hospitals are faced with increasing numbers of chest X-rays and scans and some trusts have reported backlogs in reporting the results(1). An algorithm which could identify the abnormal radiographs rapidly would quickly enable medical staff to prioritise the most urgent cases first.
“We are working with a number of hospitals in the UK, USA and India,” said Dr Thomas Naunton-Morgan, behold.ai’s Medical Director. “Radiologists, like those in the team we worked with in Leicester are keen to report the abnormal scans first, shortening the turnaround time for the patients that need the most urgent care. Therefore the potential for our algorithm to support this care pathway is a very exciting prospect.”
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Further information from:
behold.ai – John Wright on 07710 454214 or email: john@blueplanetcommunications.com
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust - Rachael Dowling, Head of Research Communications, on 0116 2584971 / 07950891193 or email Rachael.dowling@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Reference:
1. Radiology review. A national review of radiology reporting within the NHS in England. cqc.org.uk
Investor ‘minnows’ make a clinical judgement call on AI
LONDON – One of the first UK companies to successfully introduce a real-world Artificial Intelligence service for radiology patients has revealed that almost half of its investment funding is coming from healthcare professionals.
GPs, radiologists, oncologists, pharmacists and others have flocked to support Behold.ai, which is already delivering its algorithm-based 'instant triage' service at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust in Kent.
The UK’s start-up experience is different from most AI healthcare operations which tend to rely on large venture capital or private equity outfits in getting them up and running in the early years.
Simon Rasalingham, CEO and Chairman, says that nearly 50% of the company’s funding comes from individuals with a clinical background, accounting for almost £1 million of investment. He believes the presence of this type of investor profile is not only good for AI companies in the UK but also for the future of the NHS.
“These are not big, institutional investors piling into a fledgling overseas AI product which is still in the lab and which may or may not come to fruition. Our technology is working right now in British hospitals with real-world clinical accuracy of 90%.
“Our individual investors are based in the UK, Ireland, Canada and the United States. They work at the sharp end of healthcare, they have their feet on the ground and they want to be a part of something happening now that will improve the lives of patients”.
Apart from its use in Kent, Behold.ai’s ground-breaking software is also currently live in two other NHS Trusts and more integrations are being rolled out at hospitals across the UK.
Mr Rasalingham pointed out that the recent call from Tech Nation for scalable, homegrown AI companies would also help to protect the NHS from data asset-stripping by global technology giants.
“All the data that is processed by our algorithm resides safely and securely in the UK. We are a homegrown AI company. Our investors get that. They know that Google has completed a take-over of the health division of DeepMind and other global giants are circling. NHS personnel are not sure of what the implications are for patient data.
“AI funding is racing ahead in this country with UK start-ups raising almost double the amount of their counterparts in France, Germany and the rest of Europe. That is partly because AI expertise in the UK is world-class but also because we are notably easier to work with.
“Our companies are smaller and lighter on their feet, highly-reliable and are trusted on issues such as data integrity and quality standards. We offer a platform for individual investors to get an early stake in technology that will transform healthcare globally”.
He compared Behold’s investor profile with that of four other AI radiology companies based in San Francisco and Israel, who have raised $150 million of institutional funding between them in recent years.
Mr Rasalingham also commented that these four companies are “all funded through venture capital or private equity funds who are looking for short term returns. But, Behold are ahead of that curve and patients are already benefiting from our ability to quickly identify anomalies in radiographs.
“Yes, our individual investors are ‘minnows’ compared to the corporate investors. But they are much bigger fish in our world and they are swimming in real water”.
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Further information from Grainne Moynihan on +44 7882 597719 Email: grainne@behold.ai
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Behold.ai is headquartered in London and has corporate and research facilities in New York and India.
The company uses cutting-edge science to pioneer new forms of diagnostic medicine; this innovative approach to healthcare is a step change in the treatment and prevention of diseases, delivering benefits today to patients across the globe.
Behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. Behold.ai’s technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.
Earlier this year, the company was awarded ISO 13485 QMS – the ‘gold standard’ in quality certification.
Call for Royal College of Radiologists to embrace quality-led AI services
LONDON – The Royal College of Radiologists is right to call for the medical imaging community to become actively involved in assessing the accuracy and credibility of AI algorithms, according to the head of one of the UK's leading AI radiology companies.
Simon Rasalingham, CEO and Chairman of behold.ai, was responding to a warning by outgoing RCR President Dr. Nicola Strickland about ensuring that AI services coming onto the market were safe and fit for purpose. He welcomed the fact that the core curriculum of the Fellowship of the RCR has been recently rewritten to include the basic concepts of AI.
"I haven't met a clinical or commercial person involved in the development and implementation of AI who doesn't understand that the consultant radiologist is central to this process. The more the radiologist is involved in testing the efficacy and appropriate deployment of this technology the better it will be for the patient and for healthcare services generally", he said.
It was pleasing that Dr. Strickland had pointed to the triage of worklists on PACS to prioritise automatically detected "urgent" cases as having promising potential.
"We are working on this very application and have a number of pilots either running or about to start in NHS hospitals - all of these integrations are being introduced under the close scrutiny of senior radiology personnel in each hospital", he pointed out.
But Mr Rasalingham said it was important that, while taking a sceptical and quality-led stance, the RCR and other professional bodies should look to positively embrace AI as a game-changer in global radiology.
"Dr. Strickland said she thought that some countries have a tendency to try to get AI-related products into clinical practice as soon as possible, due to workload-related issues, particularly radiologist numbers versus escalating patient exams.
“Well, that is a perfect description of the UK! We have declining numbers of radiologists in this country, ever-increasing requests for scans and a new power in the land, the NHSX, determined to lever the benefits of digital technology for the benefit of patients.
"The pace of AI development in global radiology is astonishing and is bringing unique challenges. We have just been awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification - the gold standard of quality certification - but because of the advanced nature of our algorithm a lot of creative abstraction of concepts and ideas was required in order to build a QMS that met the necessary requirements.
"The audit itself was 7 man-days long and no area of the business was left unexamined. Developing AI applications for safe, verified and efficient use is not to be undertaken lightly whether it's a company or a College".
He added that the RCR could be proud if its members who were piloting the introduction of behold's 'red dot' algorithm for instant triage radiology in NHS hospitals.
"They are highly-professional, incredibly thorough and completely committed to obtaining the most accurate and timely diagnoses for their patients. They are a credit to the College and a credit to radiology".
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Further information from John V. Wright on +44 7710 454214 Email: john@blueplanetcommunications.com
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About behold.ai
Behold.ai is headquartered in London and has corporate and research facilities in New York and India.
We use cutting-edge science to pioneer new forms of diagnostic medicine; this innovative approach to healthcare is a step change in the treatment and prevention of diseases, delivering benefits today to patients across the NHS. The company is identified as a leader in AI image-based diagnosis in the influential Artificial Intelligence in Global Health: Defining a Collective Path Forward report produced by the Rockefeller Foundation and United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Center for Innovation and Impact (CII), in coordination with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. Behold.ai’s technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.