FDA approves Aidoc AI-powered pneumothorax detection tool

USA – Aidoc, a radiology artificial intelligence company, has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its tool for detecting and triaging pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung, on X-rays.

According to Aidoc, the software can run on all X-ray machines, including portable machines, and automatically notes positive cases of pneumothorax, allowing physicians to focus on these images more quickly.

Other FDA-cleared tools from Aidoc include software for triaging and notifying of incidental pulmonary embolism, triaging cervical spine fractures, and flagging acute intracranial hemorrhage.

“We’re very excited about this important milestone,” CEO Elad Walach said in a statement.

“This FDA clearance further validates the breadth of our AI platform, going beyond specific AI algorithms to act as a healthcare AI hub for the enterprise’s cross-specialty needs.

This includes ER, ICU, outpatient centers, inpatient admissions, and the coordination of care and communication among providers.

By bringing radiologists and proceduralists to the same AI platform, we enable enhanced collaboration across departments and systems to deliver patients with the right treatment at the right time.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, pneumothorax can be caused by chest injuries, certain lung diseases, and certain medical procedures. It is potentially fatal.

Aidoc is positioning its tool as a way to detect a collapsed lung more quickly, preventing serious complications.

The AI-enabled imaging startup raised US$66 million in Series C funding less than a year ago, bringing its total funding pot to US$140 million. This came two years after a US$27 million Series B round.

Aidoc partnered with ScreenPoint Medical in October to integrate the company’s AI product for 2D and 3D mammography into Aidoc’s platform.

Qure.ai, another company that uses AI to help with imaging, announced yesterday that it had raised US$40 million in a funding round led by Novo Holdings and HealthQuad.

Earlier this year, the startup received another FDA 510(k) for an algorithm that uses chest X-rays to assist clinicians in placing breathing tubes.

Sirona Medical, a radiology startup, recently acquired Nines’ AI capabilities and some personnel. This agreement included two FDA-approved tools: one that analyzes chest CT scans to determine the size of lung nodules and another that analyzes head CT scans to detect potential intracranial hemorrhage and/or mass effect.