Temple Health Partners with ThinkSono to Enhance DVT Diagnosis

The partnership targets improved DVT diagnosis with real-time AI-guided ultrasound for faster, accurate, and cost-effective assessments.

US-based Temple Health has partnered with ThinkSono, a UK-based AI company, to enhance DVT diagnosis.

The partnership seeks to study a new AI-powered ultrasound technology that enables a more rapid and portable diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Further, with DVT diagnosis the companies seek to offer real-time AI-guided ultrasound during point-of-care assessments, potentially outperforming traditional methods in terms of speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness.

Briefly About Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition characterized by the formation of blood clots within the deep veins of the body, commonly occurring in the legs or pelvis. It poses severe health risks, including pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DVT affects up to 900,000 Americans annually and is prevalent among hospitalized patients, costing the US healthcare system up to $10 billion yearly.

Sharing thoughts, Dr Parth Rali, MD, associate professor, Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University and Temple's principal investigator for the trial, said, "There's a vital need for rapid and effective diagnostic tools because DVT can often be missed or misdiagnosed. Temple's Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) has extensive experience diagnosing and treating these dangerous blood clots, and we are excited to add this new tool to our arsenal."

Under this collaboration, researchers will conduct traditional ultrasound scans on patients both with and without DVT, alongside ThinkSono Guidance System scans. Moreover, the performance of both methods will undergo comparison to evaluate and validate the accuracy of the ThinkSono system.

Temple, joining NYU Langone Health, serves as the second US-based site for the trial. The research team, comprising internal medicine resident Ka U Lio, MD, and Christie DiVeterano, NP, aims to conclude the study and publish the results within the next year, in preparation for subsequent FDA submission.

On the collaboration, Fouad Al Noor, CEO, ThinkSono, stated, “ThinkSono will collaborate with Temple Health, a top U.S. institution with a particular focus on DVT. The potential of AI-based technology for Ultrasound Guidance and DVT detection is immense and will positively transform patient management.”

Temple Health’s Healthcare Initiatives

In May, FDA approved the BASHIR Endovascular Catheter, developed at Temple University, for acute pulmonary embolism treatment. This catheter, based on the RESCUE study, swiftly improves lung artery blockages, enhancing patient heart function. Temple's collaboration with THROMBOLEX Inc. facilitated the catheter's development and commercialization.

In April, Temple Health and Fox Chase Cancer Center introduced the Fox Chase-Temple Urologic Institute, emphasizing benign and oncologic urology. With a faculty of over 20 urologists, the institute serves patients across multiple locations in the greater Philadelphia area. The institute constitutes an expert urology team specialized in advanced procedures such as perineal and abdominal reconstruction, prostate enucleation, bladder augmentation, urinary diversion, bladder pathology, and vaginal reconstruction.

Further, the institute provides access to clinical trials, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and advanced radiation therapies for urologic cancer treatment, with urologic oncologists collaborating closely with medical and radiation oncologists in a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.

Established in 1994, Temple Health, also referred to as Temple University Health System, is an academic healthcare network headquartered in Philadelphia, US. It is currently serving the state with its flagship hospital, Temple University Hospital, located in Philadelphia.

The institution is a major Philadelphia-based academic health system renowned for its contributions to medical advancements through clinical innovation, pioneering research, and top-tier education.

UK-based AI company, ThinkSono, on the other hand, was founded in 2016 by Fouad Al Noor and Sven Mischkewitz. It focuses on transforming medical diagnostics with a goal to democratize ultrasound technology, ensuring accessibility and enhancing patient outcomes globally.

Through partnerships such as Temple Health, the company offers solutions in the AI-healthcare domain, prioritizing accessibility and impact in healthcare innovation.