Multinational medical imaging device maker Fujifilm Corporation has received the approval of Japan's ​​Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for its latest AI-powered chest x-ray software.

WHAT IT DOES

The Fujifilm CXR-AID detects major abnormal findings from chest radiographs, such as chest nodule, consolidation and pneumothorax. 

Based on a press statement, the diagnostic system runs on the AI technology of South Korean startup Lunit. Trained using 3.5 million images, the Lunit INSIGHT CXR has an accuracy of 97-99% and detects 10 of the most common findings in a chest x-ray. 

Lunit said its AI powers the Fujifilm software to illustrate findings through heatmap and provide abnormality scoring. The software also comes with Fujifilm's Picture Archiving and Communication System, SYNAPSE.

WHY IT MATTERS

The AI-powered chest screening solution helps reduce missed cases and "effectively" diagnose chest diseases from radiographs.

With the PMDA approval, the CXR-AID will soon get distributed across hospitals and medical institutions in Japan.

THE LARGER TREND

Since 2018, Fujifilm and Lunit have partnered to integrate AI into medical devices. The Lunit AI has been applied in Fujifilm's mobile x-ray device called FDR nano, portable x-ray devices under the FDR Xair series, the general x-ray device FDR Smart X and other clinical settings to detect COVID-19 symptoms and tuberculosis. 

Lunit has also powered Fujifilm's healthcare centre in India with an AI solution for breast cancer detection. 

Fujifilm also recently partnered with another AI startup, Qure.ai, to equip its portable FDR Xair system with AI and support the expansion of tuberculosis screening in India.

ON THE RECORD

"As a software company, collaborating with global medical device companies like Fujifilm is one of the key strategies for us to achieve successful market expansion," Lunit CEO Brandon Suh said. 

"We strongly believe that sooner or later AI will become the new standard of care, and AI will be used everywhere as a must-use product. Not only will it be used as a tool to make the workflow more efficient, but it will ensure better diagnosis and healthier life for patients," he also said.

"We try to listen to our customers' voice and Lunit's AI software is gaining very positive feedback from the actual users across the world," Naoya Yamakawa, a senior manager at Fujifilm Corporation, also commented.