AI Software for Analysis of Chest CT Images Enables Personalized Treatment for Lung Patients

Image: The LungQ v3.0.0 software has received US FDA 510(k) clearance for the AI analysis of chest CT images (Photo courtesy of Thirona)

A novel clinical software leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically segment various pulmonary segments and sub-segments in the internal anatomy of the lung. This advanced software conducts an in-depth analysis, including identifying structures like lobes, segments, sub-segments, airways, and fissures. It then assesses lung tissue and fissure completeness, aiding physicians in the diagnosis and documentation of pulmonary tissue images obtained from CT thoracic datasets for each patient.

Thirona’s (Nijmegen, Netherlands) AI-based clinical software LungQ has capabilities that can be instrumental in guiding pulmonologists to effectively navigate the lung's complex structure. The software delineates pulmonary structures and offers highly accurate CT values for pulmonary tissue, providing invaluable non-invasive quantitative support for the diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up examinations of lung patients. LungQ AI-powered software has gained approval for clinical use in Europe, the UK, and Australia. Thirona has now achieved a significant milestone by securing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the latest update of its AI-based clinical software LungQ (v3.0.0). This approval makes the innovative features of LungQ broadly accessible for use in hospitals across the United States.

“A clearer understanding of lung anatomy helps enable broader adoption of minimally invasive treatments for lung diseases such as COPD and lung cancer, helping save more healthy lung tissue and lung function capacity. Acting as a map for lung anatomy, LungQ helps guide bronchoscopic navigation, leveraging AI to significantly enhance the precision, accuracy, and efficiency of bronchoscopic and surgical lung interventions,” said Eva van Rikxoort, Founder and CEO of Thirona. “Solutions like LungQ are helping usher in a new era of personalized treatment for lung patients, enabling clinicians all over the world to conduct more advanced, easier-to-perform and less invasive procedures with full confidence.”