Aidence - Detailed Review
Health Tools
Aidence - Product Overview
Aidence Overview
Aidence is a healthtech company dedicated to improving lung cancer diagnosis and treatment using artificial intelligence (AI). Here’s a brief overview of their AI-driven products and key aspects:Primary Function
Aidence focuses on developing AI solutions to support the early and accurate diagnosis of lung cancer. Their primary function is to help healthcare professionals detect, measure, classify, and track pulmonary nodules on chest CT scans, which is crucial for identifying lung cancer at an early stage.Target Audience
The target audience for Aidence’s products includes radiologists, clinicians, and healthcare professionals involved in lung cancer screening and diagnosis. Their solutions are particularly valuable for radiology departments and lung cancer screening programs, such as the NHS England Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC) programme.Key Features
Veye Lung Nodules
This AI solution automatically detects, measures, classifies, and tracks the growth of pulmonary nodules on chest CT scans. It is CE certified under the new EU Medical Device Regulation and is currently used in over 80 routine practice and lung cancer screening sites across Europe.Integration and Efficiency
Veye Lung Nodules helps relieve the pressure on radiologists by automating laborious and time-consuming tasks, making reporting more efficient. The solution also includes Veye Reporting, an interactive add-on that prepopulates reports following standard templates.Collaboration with Google Health
Aidence is collaborating with Google Health to develop a new AI medical device that predicts the likelihood of a lung nodule being malignant, leveraging Google Health’s research published in Nature Medicine.Clinical Validation and Regulatory Compliance
Aidence ensures that their AI solutions comply with relevant data privacy requirements and regulatory standards, such as the EU Medical Device Regulation. They have also received significant grants and awards, including the NHS AI award, to support their work.Additional Context
Aidence’s solutions are part of a broader health informatics portfolio, particularly after being acquired by RadNet, which integrates their AI capabilities into the DeepHealth portfolio. This integration aims to drive efficiency and transform radiology’s role in healthcare by providing scalable solutions for patients and professionals. By leveraging AI, Aidence aims to improve the accuracy and speed of lung cancer diagnosis, ultimately giving lung cancer patients a better chance of early detection and treatment. Aidence - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of Aidence’s AI-Driven Health Tools
The user interface of Aidence’s AI-driven health tools, particularly their product Veye Lung Nodules, is designed with a strong focus on ease of use and seamless integration into the existing radiology workflow.Integration and Workflow
Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules is fully integrated into the radiology workflow, ensuring that it does not disrupt the radiologists’ current practices. The tool is compatible with Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), which means radiologists do not need to switch between different screens or systems to use it. This integration is highlighted by radiologists who appreciate that Veye does not complicate their workflow and saves them time by providing nodule measurements directly within their usual system.Ease of Use
Radiologists have praised Veye Lung Nodules for its user-friendly interface. The tool automates the detection and quantification of pulmonary nodules on CT scans, which is a time-consuming task when done manually. Users have noted that Veye is simple and effective, providing clear markers for nodules that make reporting faster and more accurate. For example, one radiologist mentioned that Veye’s measurements are supplied directly, saving a lot of time and ensuring consistency in reporting.User Feedback
Feedback from radiologists indicates a high level of satisfaction with the tool. They appreciate the automated detection, which allows them to focus more on interpreting anomalies rather than spending hours finding nodules. The tool is described as “so user friendly” and “it doesn’t complicate things,” which reflects its ease of use and integration into their daily tasks.Reporting and Quality
Veye Lung Nodules also provides standardized quality reporting through its Veye Reporting solution. This presents the results in a clear, customizable, and shareable report, which enhances the quality of cancer care by automating and standardizing the reporting of nodule measurements. Radiologists find this feature particularly helpful as it ensures a minimum quality standard for nodule reporting.Overall User Experience
The overall user experience is positive, with radiologists feeling confident and reassured by having a “second pair of eyes” to help in their diagnosis. The tool has been praised for its ability to improve the quality of cancer care without adding extra time or complexity to the radiologists’ workflow. This has led to increased confidence in AI solutions among healthcare practitioners and has facilitated smoother communication between the hospital and the software vendor.Conclusion
In summary, Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules offers a user interface that is integrated, easy to use, and enhances the radiologists’ workflow, making it a valuable tool in the early detection and reporting of lung cancer. Aidence - Key Features and Functionality
Aidence Overview
Aidence, a leading MedTech company, has developed several key features and functionalities in its AI-driven health tools, particularly focused on lung cancer screening and management. Here are the main features and how they work:
Veye Lung Nodules
Detection and Measurement
Detection and Measurement: Veye Lung Nodules is an AI application that automatically detects, measures, and classifies pulmonary nodules on chest CT scans. This is crucial because these nodules can be early signs of lung cancer.
Tracking and Volume Growth
Tracking and Volume Growth: The system tracks the volume growth of these nodules over time, which helps in identifying potential cancerous growths. This longitudinal tracking is essential for early detection and monitoring.
Integration with Radiology Workflow
Integration with Radiology Workflow: Veye Lung Nodules is integrated seamlessly into the radiology workflow, ensuring that the results are delivered without disrupting the radiologist’s reporting process. This integration is facilitated through Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Radiology Information Systems (RIS).
Collaboration with Other AI Solutions
Combined Clinical Package
Combined Clinical Package: Aidence has collaborated with Thirona and Incepto to offer a comprehensive AI-powered software package. This package includes both lung cancer screening and emphysema analysis, providing a holistic approach to lung health. The results from both AI tools are returned in a standardized, structured, and editable report, which is a unique feature in the industry.
Incepto Platform
Incepto Platform: The Incepto platform ensures the connection and integration of Aidence’s and Thirona’s AI applications directly into the hospitals’ workflow and PACS/RIS infrastructure, making it user-friendly for radiologists and pulmonologists.
AI Model for Lung Nodule Malignancy Prediction
Collaboration with Google Health
Collaboration with Google Health: Aidence is working with Google Health to develop an AI application for predicting the malignancy of lung nodules on CT images. Google Health provides the scientific expertise, while Aidence will develop, validate, and bring this model to the market. This collaboration aims to support early and accurate diagnosis of lung cancer and reduce unnecessary procedures.
Data Privacy and Security
Compliance with Regulations
Compliance with Regulations: Aidence ensures that all its AI solutions comply with relevant data privacy regulations, such as the European Data Protection Legislation and ISO 27001 standards. This ensures that patient data is protected and used only with consent.
Clinical Validation and Training
Training Algorithms
Training Algorithms: The algorithms used in Veye Lung Nodules are trained using thousands of CT chest scans from various data sets and validated against approximately 1000 cases annotated by expert radiologists. This rigorous training process enhances the accuracy of the AI system.
Benefits
Time and Resource Savings
Time and Resource Savings: By automating the detection and measurement of pulmonary nodules, Veye Lung Nodules saves radiologists significant time and energy, allowing them to focus more on interpreting findings and patient care.
Improved Accuracy
Improved Accuracy: AI-assisted reporting has been shown to be more accurate than human detection alone, which can lead to better patient outcomes and potentially save hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
These features and functionalities highlight Aidence’s commitment to leveraging AI to improve the early detection and management of lung cancer, making the process more efficient, accurate, and integrated into clinical workflows.
Aidence - Performance and Accuracy
Performance and Accuracy
Aidence’s AI solutions, such as Veye Lung Nodules, have demonstrated high accuracy in clinical settings. For instance, the clinical validation of Veye Lung Nodules showed an overall accuracy of 95.96% when tested on independent datasets, including the LIDC/IDRI database and a database developed in cooperation with the University of Edinburgh.
This AI system has been shown to detect 90% of all pulmonary nodules present on chest CT scans, providing their location, size, and type (solid or sub-solid) for radiologists to review. Additionally, readings aided by Veye Lung Nodules yielded a 10% higher sensitivity than unaided readings, with minimal impact on the false positive rate.
Clinical Validation
The clinical performance of Aidence’s AI models is rigorously validated using independent test sets that contain ground truth data, such as the final assessments by radiologists. This ensures that the AI system’s performance is accurately measured and reliable.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite the high accuracy, there are several limitations and areas for improvement:
Workflow Integration
One of the significant challenges is the seamless integration of AI results into existing radiology systems (PACS). Not all AI clinical applications provide their results in a way that is easily integrated into current workflows, which can add to the radiologist’s workload rather than reducing it.
Time and Workload
Radiologists have expressed concerns that AI may not save time in the short term. Instead, it may require additional time to review and integrate AI-generated results into their reports. However, some radiologists suggest that by focusing on specific use cases, such as background AI reads for pulmonary embolism, the workflow can be optimized.
Data Quality and Diversity
Aidence faces challenges in obtaining diverse and representative datasets for training their AI algorithms. While they have leveraged datasets like the American National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), the data is old, and newer, diverse data is needed for continuous improvement. Collaborations with companies like Segmed have helped in collecting more data, but this remains a significant challenge.
Post-Market Surveillance
Ensuring the ongoing performance and safety of AI medical devices is crucial. Aidence has experienced incidents, such as discrepancies in analysis, which were addressed through prompt software upgrades and post-market surveillance. This highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and transparency in maintaining trust and ensuring patient safety.
Conclusion
Aidence’s AI-driven health tools, particularly in medical imaging, demonstrate high accuracy and potential for improving diagnostic precision and productivity. However, there are clear limitations, such as the need for better workflow integration, addressing the additional workload for radiologists, and ensuring access to diverse and up-to-date data for continuous improvement. The company’s commitment to post-market surveillance and transparency is essential for maintaining the trust of healthcare providers and patients.
Aidence - Pricing and Plans
The Pricing Structure for Aidence’s AI-Driven Health Tool
The pricing structure for Aidence’s AI-driven health tool, specifically their product Veye Chest (or Veye Lung Nodules), is based on several key components and does not appear to be segmented into traditional tiers like many other software services. Here’s a breakdown of the costs and features associated with their product:
Volume-Based Fee
Aidence uses a volume-based pricing model, where the cost is determined by the number of reports generated. The price per output ranges from £5 to £7.50, depending on the features selected and the volume of scans processed.
Annual and One-Off Costs
In addition to the per-report fees, there are other costs involved:
- A yearly fee for cloud server hosting, monitoring, and support ranges between £4,000 and £9,000.
- IT integration, training, and deployment incur a one-off cost of £8,500.
No Free Options for Standard Use
While Aidence does not offer free plans for standard use, there have been initiatives where their technology was provided at no cost under specific conditions. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, their technology was offered pro bono as part of the icovid.ai initiative, though this was not specific to Aidence’s Veye Chest but rather another AI tool.
Features and Updates
The product includes features such as analysis of chest CT images, integration with existing IT infrastructure, and regular updates based on user feedback and requests. However, it does not continuously learn from user input once deployed; instead, it relies on historical clinical data that has been fully checked and labelled.
Summary
In summary, Aidence’s pricing is primarily based on the volume of scans processed, with additional annual and one-off costs for hosting, support, and integration. There are no ongoing free options for standard use, but there have been temporary free initiatives under specific circumstances.
Aidence - Integration and Compatibility
Integration and Compatibility of Aidence’s AI-Driven Health Tools
Integration with Existing Systems
Aidence places a strong emphasis on integrating its AI solutions seamlessly into the existing workflows of radiology departments. For instance, their product, Veye Lung Nodules, is designed to integrate with Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Radiology Information Systems (RIS). This integration ensures that radiologists do not need to leave their PACS window to access AI-driven diagnostic support, thereby maintaining efficiency and reducing frustration.PACS Integration Benefits
The integration with PACS allows multiple users within the radiology department to access AI results, facilitating collaboration. For example, findings such as lung nodules can be reviewed and analyzed by different radiologists without disrupting their workflow. Additionally, this integration enables radiologists to interact with AI results directly within the PACS viewer, allowing them to modify AI output and update reports automatically.Collaboration with Vendors
Aidence recognizes the importance of collaborating with PACS vendors to ensure smooth integration. This collaboration is crucial for overcoming any technical limitations and ensuring that the AI solution aligns with the radiologists’ needs. Working closely with PACS vendors helps in developing AI tools that are embedded into the pre-existing infrastructure without causing disruptions.Cross-Platform Compatibility
While specific details on cross-platform compatibility for Aidence’s products are not extensively documented, the general principle of seamless integration suggests that their solutions are likely designed to be compatible with various systems. However, there is no explicit information on whether Aidence’s tools are compatible across different operating systems, hardware architectures, or browsers. The focus is more on integrating with specific medical imaging systems like PACS.Regulatory Compliance and Data Handling
Aidence ensures that its products comply with relevant regulatory standards, such as the European Medical Device Regulation. Their Veye Engine software, which facilitates data transfers and pseudonymisation of patient data, is cleared through notification at the Dutch Healthcare Inspectorate (IGJ). This attention to regulatory compliance suggests a careful approach to ensuring their tools work within established healthcare systems.Collaboration with Google Health
Aidence’s collaboration with Google Health to develop an AI application for lung nodule malignancy prediction further highlights their commitment to integrating advanced AI models into clinical practice. This partnership involves developing and validating the model to ensure it meets clinical and regulatory standards, which implies a focus on compatibility with existing clinical workflows and systems.Conclusion
In summary, Aidence’s integration strategy is centered around seamless integration with existing radiology workflows, particularly through PACS and RIS systems, ensuring that their AI tools enhance rather than disrupt the radiologists’ work process. While detailed information on cross-platform compatibility is limited, their regulatory compliance and collaborative efforts suggest a commitment to ensuring their tools work effectively within various healthcare environments. Aidence - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options
Aidence, a company specializing in AI-driven healthcare solutions, particularly in the lung cancer pathway, offers several customer support options to ensure users get the most out of their products.Customer Support Channels
For any inquiries or issues related to their products, customers can contact Aidence through various channels:- Email: Customers can reach out to Aidence via email at info@aidence.com for general enquiries about how personal data is processed or other general questions.
- Phone: Aidence can also be contacted by phone at 31 108 411 749 for more immediate assistance.
Data Protection and Privacy
Aidence emphasizes the importance of data protection and privacy. For specific questions regarding data processing, customers are advised to contact their healthcare provider directly, as the healthcare provider acts as the data controller. However, Aidence is available to answer general enquiries about data processing and can provide summaries of Data Privacy Impact Assessments upon request.Regulatory Compliance and Certifications
Aidence ensures compliance with relevant regulations such as GDPR (EU and UK) and HIPAA (USA). They have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) and a Person Responsible for Regulatory Compliance (PRRC) to oversee these aspects. Customers can request more detailed information on their compliance and certifications, such as their ISO 27001:2013 certificate.Technical Support and Resources
While specific technical support details are not extensively outlined, Aidence’s commitment to security and compliance suggests that they have robust technical measures in place. This includes state-of-the-art encryption, access control, and pseudonymisation of patient data. For any technical issues or concerns, customers would likely need to contact Aidence directly through the provided channels.Additional Resources
- Data Processing Policy: Aidence provides a detailed Data Processing Policy that outlines how patient data is processed, stored, and protected. This policy is available on their website.
- Regulatory Compliance Information: Information on their regulatory compliance, including CE certifications under MDR 2017/745, can be obtained by contacting QA@aidence.com.
Aidence - Pros and Cons
Advantages of Aidence’s AI-Driven Health Tools
Aidence’s AI solutions, particularly their product Veye Lung Nodules, offer several significant advantages in the healthcare sector:Improved Detection and Accuracy
Aidence’s AI-enabled image analysis application can significantly increase the speed and accuracy of early lung cancer detection. By automating the process of detecting, measuring, classifying, and tracking pulmonary nodules on chest CT scans, Veye Lung Nodules reduces the workload on radiologists and enhances the precision of diagnoses.Efficiency and Time Savings
The AI solution relieves radiologists from laborious and time-consuming tasks, allowing them to focus more on interpreting findings and caring for patients. This efficiency can lead to faster reporting and better patient outcomes.Integration and Scalability
Veye Lung Nodules is integrated into several NHS hospitals and is analyzing thousands of chest CT scans each month across the UK and Europe. This scalability is crucial for large-scale lung cancer screening initiatives, such as the NHS England Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC) programme.Clinical and Economic Impact
The use of Veye Lung Nodules is expected to positively impact patient outcomes while contributing to cost reduction. Early detection of lung cancer can save hundreds of lives and reduce healthcare costs associated with late-stage cancer treatments.Support from Healthcare Authorities
Aidence has received the AI in Health and Care Award, which is part of a £140 million fund to support AI solutions that contribute to the NHS Long-Term Plan. This recognition and funding underscore the credibility and potential of Aidence’s AI solutions.Disadvantages and Considerations
While Aidence’s AI-driven health tools offer numerous benefits, there are also some challenges and considerations:High Implementation Costs
Implementing AI solutions like Veye Lung Nodules can be costly, including the development, installation, and training costs. These high initial expenses can be a significant challenge for healthcare organizations with limited budgets.Data Privacy and Security Concerns
AI systems, including those from Aidence, handle large amounts of patient data, which raises concerns about data privacy and security. Ensuring that the data is protected and that the AI systems are secure is crucial.Potential for Bias
AI systems can sometimes show bias if the training data is not diverse or includes biases. This could lead to unequal treatment or misdiagnoses. It is essential to use diverse training data and implement bias mitigation techniques.Regulatory Challenges
As AI technology advances, new regulations and standards are being developed. Healthcare providers must keep up with these changes to ensure they use AI ethically and legally.Reliability and Human Oversight
While AI can enhance accuracy, it is not foolproof. There is a need for human oversight to ensure that AI recommendations are accurate and reliable. Regular audits and validation are necessary to maintain trust in the system. In summary, Aidence’s AI solutions bring significant improvements in early lung cancer detection, efficiency, and scalability, but they also come with challenges related to implementation costs, data privacy, potential biases, regulatory compliance, and the need for human oversight. Aidence - Comparison with Competitors
Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules
Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules stands out in the health tools AI-driven product category for several reasons, but it also has some notable competitors that offer similar and, in some cases, complementary solutions.
Unique Features of Aidence
- Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules is an AI-powered software that automatically detects, measures, classifies, and tracks the volume growth of pulmonary nodules, which are potential early signs of lung cancer. This tool is widely used in European centers and is part of the UK’s Targeted Lung Health Checks Program.
- The software integrates with other AI applications, such as those from Thirona, to detect emphysema and other conditions within the same clinical package, providing a comprehensive report for radiologists and pulmonologists.
- Veye Lung Nodules has been trained on thousands of CT chest scans and validated against cases annotated by expert radiologists, enhancing its accuracy in detecting nodules.
Potential Alternatives and Competitors
Lunit
Lunit is another medical AI company that specializes in radiology and oncology. Its AI-based software analyzes medical images to assist doctors in detecting cancer and other diseases, similar to Aidence. However, Lunit may focus on a broader range of cancers and conditions beyond just lung cancer.
Thirona
While Thirona is a collaborator with Aidence, its own AI applications focus on detecting conditions like emphysema. When combined with Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules, it offers a more comprehensive solution for lung health analysis.
Subtle Medical
Subtle Medical enhances medical imaging quality and reduces scan times using AI, which can be beneficial for the overall efficiency of lung cancer screening. However, it does not directly compete with Aidence in nodule detection but can be seen as a complementary tool to improve imaging quality.
Integration and Workflow
Aidence’s integration with the Incepto platform allows for seamless connection and integration of its AI applications into hospitals’ workflow and PACS/RIS infrastructure. This unique feature ensures that results from both AI tools are returned in a standardized, structured, and editable report, which is not commonly found in other solutions.
Conclusion
While Aidence’s Veye Lung Nodules is highly specialized in lung cancer detection and tracking, other companies like Lunit and Thirona offer broader or complementary AI solutions in medical imaging. The integration capabilities and the specific focus on lung health make Aidence a strong choice for radiologists and pulmonologists, but healthcare providers may also consider these alternatives depending on their specific needs and the range of conditions they aim to diagnose.
Aidence - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Aidence and Their AI-Driven Health Tools
What is Aidence and what does it do?
Aidence is a healthtech company based in Amsterdam that develops artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the field of oncology, particularly focusing on lung cancer screening. Their primary tool, Veye Lung Nodules, helps radiologists identify, characterize, and track pulmonary nodules on chest CT scans.What is Veye Lung Nodules and how does it work?
Veye Lung Nodules is an AI-powered software that automatically detects, measures, classifies, and tracks the growth of pulmonary nodules on chest CT scans. This tool is trained on thousands of CT chest scans and validated against annotations from expert radiologists. It helps relieve the pressure on radiologists by automating the laborious and time-consuming task of manually searching for and tracking nodules.How does Veye Lung Nodules benefit radiologists and patients?
Veye Lung Nodules saves radiologists time and energy by automating the detection and tracking of pulmonary nodules. This allows radiologists to focus more on interpreting the findings and caring for their patients. For patients, early detection of lung cancer through this AI tool can significantly increase survival rates, as evidenced by studies showing that CT screening can reduce lung cancer mortality by up to 26%.Is Veye Lung Nodules used in any large-scale health programs?
Yes, Veye Lung Nodules is the preferred AI solution for the UK’s National Health Service England (NHSE) Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC) program. This program aims to detect lung cancers at an early stage through low-dose CT scanning and has already involved 19 pilot sites, with 15 of them using Aidence’s lung nodule management solutions.How is the integration and reporting of Veye Lung Nodules handled?
The integration of Veye Lung Nodules into hospital workflows is facilitated through platforms like Incepto, which ensures the connection and integration of the AI applications directly into the hospitals’ PACS/RIS infrastructure. The results from the AI tool are returned in a standardized, structured, and editable report, making it easier for radiologists to follow detailed reporting protocols.What are the costs associated with using Veye Lung Nodules?
The costs of using Veye Lung Nodules include a price per output ranging from £5 to £7.50, depending on the features selected and the volume of scans. There is also a yearly fee for cloud server hosting, monitoring, and support, which ranges between £4,000 and £9,000. Additionally, there is a one-off cost of £8,500 for IT integration, training, and deployment.Is Veye Lung Nodules certified and compliant with medical regulations?
Yes, Veye Lung Nodules is CE certified under the new EU Medical Device Regulation as a Class IIb medical device. This certification ensures that the product meets the necessary safety and performance standards for medical devices in the EU.How does Aidence collaborate with other health organizations?
Aidence collaborates with other health organizations and platforms, such as Incepto and the British Society of Thoracic Imaging, to support lung cancer screening initiatives. For example, Aidence has teamed up with Incepto to offer a comprehensive AI-powered software package for lung cancer screening and emphysema analysis.What kind of training and validation has Veye Lung Nodules undergone?
Veye Lung Nodules has been trained on thousands of CT chest scans from various data sets and validated against approximately 1,000 cases annotated by three expert radiologists. This extensive training ensures the accuracy and reliability of the AI tool in detecting and tracking pulmonary nodules.Can Veye Lung Nodules be used in conjunction with other AI tools?
Yes, Veye Lung Nodules can be used in conjunction with other AI tools. For instance, Aidence, Incepto, and Thirona have launched a joint clinical solution that combines Veye Lung Nodules with Thirona’s AI application for emphysema analysis, all integrated through the Incepto platform.