The Surprising New Way to Diagnose Pneumonia Faster

FEATURED RESEARCH

The Surprising New Way to Diagnose Pneumonia Faster

Researchers from North China University of Science and Technology have combined AI with radiomics to help doctors quickly and accurately identify severe cases of community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP).

Using data from 174 patients, they developed a machine-learning model that analyzes both radiomic features from CT scans and clinical data to improve detection and treatment outcomes for SCAP.

Why it matters: Community-acquired pneumonia is a leading cause of hospital admissions. Severe cases, SCAP, often require intensive care and come with high mortality rates.

Traditional scoring systems like CURB-65 can help, but they miss subtle features that radiomics—using AI to analyze CT scans—can uncover.

The science behind it: Researchers extracted 384 radiomic features from CT scans, narrowing them down to 15 key features for predicting SCAP.

These features, combined with clinical data like lymphocyte and albumin levels, allowed the AI model to identify SCAP cases with an impressive 89% accuracy. The AdaBoost machine learning model showed the best performance.

It’s exciting to think this could change how we treat pneumonia—maybe even for someone you know.

For more details: Full Article

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Seed to Success

VISION CARE

XP Health Secures $33M to Make Vision Care More Affordable

XP Health has raised $33.2 million in a Series B round to expand its AI-powered platform that offers employees affordable vision care.

Co-founded by Antonio Moraes and James Wong, the company helps users save up to 69% on eyewear by sourcing frames directly from manufacturers, avoiding the typical retail markups.

Lowering costs for employees: Vision care is often pricey, leaving employees with high out-of-pocket costs even after using insurance.

XP Health addresses this by offering affordable eyewear and eye exams through its digital platform, with many users paying $0 for designer frames.

AI-powered personalization: The platform uses AI-driven facial recognition to recommend frames that fit users’ style and face shape, enhancing the overall experience.

This personalized approach ensures employees receive quality care at lower costs.

Growing rapidly: XP Health now serves over 3,000 businesses, including DocuSign and Chegg. With the latest funding, XP Health is on track to further expand and bring affordable vision care to even more employees.

Turns out, AI has an eye for style—and it’s saving you a ton while doing it!

For more details: Full Press Release

💰 7 Other funded companies

1. Nirvana secured $24.2M in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered insurance verification platform, improving cost transparency and reducing claim denials for healthcare providers and patients. [Link]

2. Candid Health raised $29M in Series B funding to enhance its AI-powered revenue cycle automation platform, aiming to streamline medical billing and improve first-pass claim resolution for healthcare providers. [Link]

3. Cercle, an AI-driven women's healthcare platform, raised $6M in seed funding led by Outsiders Fund to expand beyond fertility, enhance its AI capabilities, and broaden its global reach. [Link]

4. PictorLabs raised $30M in Series B funding, led by Insight Partners, to expand its AI-powered virtual staining technology in histopathology. [Link]

5. Reactive Robotics secured €5 million in funding to advance its AI-assisted mobilization system, VEMOTION, supporting patient care and relieving staff in hospitals and nursing facilities. [Link]

6. Arzeda raised $38M to expand its AI-driven protein design platform, accelerating the commercialization of biotech products, including enzymes for pharma, diagnostics, and sustainable health solutions. [Link]

7. Epica International secured an $18M credit facility to support expansion and R&D in AI-powered medical imaging and precision robotics, driving innovation in healthcare and manufacturing. [Link]

New Partnerships

BONE MARROW IMAGING

Beckman Coulter and Scopio Labs Expand Partnership to Launch World's First Digital Bone Marrow Imaging

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, a leader in clinical diagnostics, has expanded its long-term partnership with Scopio Labs to introduce the world's first Full-Field Bone Marrow Aspirate (FF-BMA) digital imaging application.

This innovative solution will be distributed globally and is designed to modernize the traditionally manual process of bone marrow analysis.

AI-driven innovation: Bone marrow aspirate analysis is crucial in diagnosing various blood disorders, but traditional methods are time-consuming and require highly specialized skills.

Scopio's FF-BMA application changes the game by combining high-resolution imaging with AI-powered decision support, allowing hematopathologists to remotely review bone marrow smears more efficiently and with greater diagnostic confidence.

A new era in hematology: The partnership enables faster collaboration, second opinions, and reduced turnaround times for critical diagnoses.

Scopio's technology, integrated with Beckman Coulter’s DxH 900 platform, eliminates the need for manual microscopes, providing lab scientists with digital tools to evaluate cellular morphology at unprecedented scales.

AI taking over the tedious parts of diagnostics? That’s a win for both patients and doctors.

For more details: Full Press Release

🤝 3 Other collaborations shaping the future

1. Rakovina Therapeutics partnered with Variational AI to identify DNA-damage response inhibitors, paying a low upfront fee with potential milestone payments. [Link]

2. Hackensack Meridian Health partnered with K Health to launch HMH 24/7, a virtual primary care service integrating AI-driven virtual care with in-person services across its health system. [Link]

3. Duke Health and SAS have partnered for a two-year collaboration to develop AI-powered tools, focusing on digital twinning and responsible AI, to enhance healthcare operations and patient outcomes. [Link]

Milestone Moments

⚡1 Product launches, 1 acquisition, 2 regulatory approval

1. Scriptology acquired RxLive to accelerate its tech development by several years, enhance AI-based medication management, and expand its clinical team, boosting growth and technology infrastructure. [Link]

2. Iris Telehealth launched a Virtual Clinic and AI-powered Iris Insights to enhance efficiency in behavioral health, improving scheduling by 90% and providing real-time financial insights. [Link]

3. Sonio received CE marking for its AI-powered Sonio Detect software, enabling it to enhance ultrasound examinations across Europe after its U.S. launch and FDA clearance in 2023. [Link]

4. iRhythm Technologies gained Japanese regulatory approval for its AI-powered Zio® ECG monitoring system, aiming to improve arrhythmia detection with 14-day continuous monitoring, and is now pursuing reimbursement to enter Japan's cardiac monitoring market. [Link]

Opinion and Perspectives

AI IN HEALTHCARE

Is AI Only for the Rich? The Growing Divide in Healthcare Technology

As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, a critical question looms: can only well-resourced health systems afford to adopt these technologies? 

Industry leaders are divided on whether AI’s cost is creating a gap between large, wealthy systems and smaller, underfunded providers.

The Divide: Daniel Yang, MD, of Kaiser Permanente, raised concerns about the disparity between AI "haves" and "have-nots."

Systems like Kaiser have the resources to test and deploy AI effectively, while county hospitals and rural clinics may struggle due to limited infrastructure and expertise.

Similarly, Rebecca Mishuris, MD, of Mass General Brigham, noted that high costs are likely pricing out some health systems, leaving them behind just as AI could help ease provider burnout.

A Glimmer of Hope? However, some experts believe the gap is starting to close. Sara Murray, MD, of UCSF Health, pointed out that AI tools like scribes, once too expensive for many, are becoming more affordable.

Sarah Hatchett of Cleveland Clinic added that cloud-based and open-source solutions could help lower the cost barrier for health systems with less capital.

As AI costs decrease and accessibility improves, the real challenge will be ensuring that every health system, large or small, can leverage the full potential of this transformative technology.

For more details: Full Article

We Value Your Thoughts!

Trivia Answer: B) They bury acorns but forget where most of them are

Squirrels might seem like they've got it all together, busily burying acorns to get ready for winter. But, here's the twist—they forget where they put most of them! It’s like prepping for a big meal and then forgetting where you stashed all the ingredients. Instead of keeping track, they rely on their sense of smell and a bit of luck to dig up their snacks later. Bonus: their forgetfulness helps plant new trees!

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