TexRAD launches as company
February 24, 2011 at 12:16 PM
New medical scanning software could save the NHS money and speed up diagnosis time
Researchers from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and the University of Sussex have jointly developed innovative medical imaging software, which is both cost effective and could lead to speedier diagnosis of illnesses such as cancer.
TexRAD reveals more detail
The new software, known as TexRAD, reveals more information from medical images than it is currently possible to see with the naked eye. Currently, doctors rely on medical imaging (scans) to make decisions on patient care and treatment, but these are limited to what can be seen by the human eye. TexRAD takes these images, such as CT and MRI, used to look for signs or symptoms of disease, one step further.
It shows textures from these images giving greater detail, from which more relevant clinical information can be gained. This means that better decisions can be made more quickly and with fewer scans and tests for patients.
Speedier prediction of illnesses such as cancer
TexRAD’s lead creator, Dr Balaji Ganeshan believes that this software will have a significant impact in improving patient care. The application of this technology has the potential to reduce the number of scans required and may lead to a speedier prediction of illness. TexRAD can currently analyse CT images of bowel, lung, kidney, prostate and oesophageal cancers as well as mammography for breast cancer.
Less surgery required and costs savings
TexRAD provides clinicians with vital additional information including biomarkers (biological indicators) for assessing disease severity and predicting a patient’s treatment outcome. The impact of TexRAD is that it could lead to timely prognosis (prediction of outcome) and speedier recovery, as well as also lead to less invasive procedures such as biopsies and surgery.
Potential cost savings to the NHS
Less expensive procedures means that TexRAD saves the NHS and private health providers’ money. However, it also saves resources due to the relatively low cost of buying and installing the technology, as Dr Ganeshan explains: “TexRAD can be integrated easily within existing hospital imaging systems without the need for any hardware modifications, and can also be accessed by a pay per click service.”
Initial clinical results are impressive
Professor Ken Miles, Consultant Radiologist and TexRAD’s lead clinical advisor, said: “TexRAD assists clinical decision making by predicting the risk of disease and assessing the prognosis (likely outcome) for cancer patients.”
Initial clinical evaluation at hospitals across the UK has already brought encouraging results. Dr Vicky Goh, Consultant Radiologist at Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood found the initial results of the trial useful in finding a predictive indicator while assessing a specific treatment for kidney-related cancers.
Dr Olga Strukowska, Consultant Radiologist at the Western Sussex Associate University Hospital NHS Trust, Worthing also found the preliminary TexRAD results impressive. She could identify tumours that had invaded nearby tissue when the biopsy results were negative. She believes TexRAD could assist doctors in planning treatments for patients, including the decision for major breast surgery, which is taken whenever a high risk for aggressive cancer is diagnosed.
Taking TexRAD to market
TexRAD has just launched as a commercial company, founded by the University of Sussex with three medical imaging partner companies. More evaluation is currently being undertaken in clinical settings in the UK, Denmark, and shortly in the USA and Italy, to enhance further development and clinical usability. Additional funding is being sought from both research funders and commercial organisations.
Visit www.texrad.co.uk for more information.