AI-Enabled POC Ultrasound Technology to Aid in Diagnoses and Treatment of Traumatic Injury

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 16 Oct 2023

Image: The new AI-augmented ultrasound technology aims to aid clinicians in diagnosing and treating traumatic injury (Photo courtesy of GE HealthCare)

In the U.S., trauma is a major cause of fatalities and puts significant strain on healthcare services and society as a whole. The chance of survival for trauma patients relies heavily on swift and appropriate medical attention. Quick identification and sorting of trauma cases are vital for effective patient care and managing resources, both during regular times and mass emergencies. Now, new ultrasound technology integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) aims to help medical professionals of varying expertise swiftly diagnose lung conditions and traumatic injuries. This could improve day-to-day healthcare delivery and become particularly crucial during large-scale emergencies that overwhelm healthcare facilities.

GE HealthCare (Chicago, IL, USA) has signed a USD 44 million contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)—part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—to develop and secure regulatory approval for cutting-edge point-of-care ultrasound technology enhanced with AI capabilities. The technology emerging from this partnership will enable medical staff at different levels of expertise to quickly diagnose and initiate treatment for various types of lung diseases and traumatic injuries involving the abdomen, chest, and head.

In collaboration with BARDA, GE HealthCare plans to create a new technology to speed up the triage and treatment processes in trauma care, potentially setting a new standard in the field. Building on its existing range of point-of-care ultrasound products, GE HealthCare will work on an advanced probe and ultrasound system, coupled with innovative AI tech, to simplify the task of conducting and interpreting ultrasound tests. This will expand the pool of competent users and thus make healthcare delivery more efficient. These upcoming devices will be designed to handle a variety of injury scenarios, from blunt force and penetrating injuries to head and lung damage, including trauma caused by explosions. In addition, the technology will be geared to diagnose lung conditions related to infectious diseases. To make these advances widely accessible, GE HealthCare aims to develop this technology and AI software to be compatible with select ultrasound systems from its existing product range, enabling rapid patient assessment in various healthcare settings.

“Point-of-care ultrasound is an essential tool in emergency situations to help clinicians quickly get the answers they need when treating patients,” said Roland Rott, President and CEO, Ultrasound, GE HealthCare. “We are grateful and excited for the opportunity to partner with BARDA to contribute our expertise in ultrasound and AI applications to develop innovative solutions for identifying a range of traumatic injuries and lung pathologies. Our collaboration has the potential to enhance the ability of clinicians to provide timely care for trauma patients even in the most dire scenarios.”

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GE HealthCare