Mayo Clinic is teaming up with Israeli company UltraSight, a medtech company using AI to improve point-of-care ultrasound for cardiac care, to develop algorithms for analyzing ultrasound images.

The goal is to address barriers to the widespread adoption of point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) by guiding users through image acquisition and interpretation.

PoCUS is an advancement in medical diagnostics and patient care involving the use of portable ultrasound devices at the patient's bedside.

It allows clinicians to obtain immediate and real-time imaging that can enhance diagnostic accuracy and expedite treatment decisions.

The resulting scalability and accessibility of AI-enhanced PoCUS are pivotal for early diagnosis and periodic monitoring of cardiac conditions. However, the effectiveness of PoCUS is dependent on the operator's skill and experience.

Davidi Vortman, CEO of UltraSight, told MobiHealthNews via email that the company's real-time guidance software harnesses AI to assist medical practitioners in capturing diagnostic-quality cardiac images.

"This innovation addresses significant barriers to the widespread adoption of PoCUS by guiding users through image acquisition and interpretation," Vortman said. "The resulting scalability and accessibility of AI-enhanced PoCUS are pivotal for early diagnosis and periodic monitoring of cardiac conditions."

He said the foundation of effective PoCUS lies in the ability to capture clear, accurate images that can be reliably interpreted to inform clinical decisions.

"Now we will work with Mayo Clinic to jointly develop algorithms for analyzing and interpreting ultrasound images," he said.

Vortman said the goal is to provide healthcare specialists with end-to-end solutions and decision support to make more informed diagnoses and plans for treatment.

"With Mayo Clinic, we will have access to more clinicians running more trials in different clinical settings and use cases," he explained.

He said collaborating with Mayo Clinic gives the company access to their in-depth knowledge of cardiac health and diseases, which is crucial for refining the algorithms and ensuring they are clinically sound.

"Mayo Clinic also has a vast medical de-identified database, which is invaluable for training and validating UltraSight's AI algorithms, making them more accurate and generalizable to real-world situations," Vortman said.

Access to Mayo Clinic's expertise and data will accelerate the development process for UltraSight's AI algorithms, as Mayo Clinic researchers could provide valuable insights and feedback throughout the development cycle, leading to more robust and effective AI tools.

THE LARGER TREND

UltraSight secured FDA clearance for its AI-powered ultrasound guidance technology last year.

The company also partnered with portable ultrasound company EchoNous. UltraSight's AI system was integrated into EchoNous' Kosmos handheld ultrasound device. 

UltraSight raised $13 million in Series B funding in 2021.