Projects Profile
Project Title
Quantitative Medical Imaging: Technology Innovation and Clinical Applications
Partnership
Prof. Wen Wang from Queen Mary, University of London
Prof. Enming Song from Huazhong University of Science & Technology, China (HUST)
Project Aim
This project aims to develop a novel, quantitative, medical image analysis software based on the unique technology developed by QMUL and HUST on tissue-specific microstructures to assist radiologists in breast tumour diagnosis.
This Proof-of-Concept project is a built upon an earlier ICUK Partnership Grant project.
Inspiration for the projects
Currently there is no software package to quantitatively assess medical imaging such as ultrasonic and X-ray. Diagnosis still relies on the interpretation of the imaging by the medical professionals. Such technology if available will improve the efficiency and accuracy of medical diagnostic applications.
Supported by an ICUK Partnership Grant, QMUL and HUST have developed a laboratory prototype that incorporates tissue-specific microcirculation models from QMUL into the quantitative image analysis software of HUST. Studies using real patient images have demonstrated that this technique offers significant improvement over existing clinical imaging tools.
At the PoC stage of the project, the laboratory prototype will be further developed into a commercial prototype.
Commercial Potential and Further Development
Independent commercial assessment has indentified the growing market need for high quality quantitative medical imaging software, a strong market interest in a technology that is capable of quantitatively analysing blood circulation. Medical imaging software is a type of medical device, the development plan of the current project will take into account both the technical and regulatory requirement to maximise the commercial value of the technology at the end of the PoC project.
