Summary:
A Hungarian SME has developed a new X-ray imaging method to visualize blood vessel structure and peripheral artery pathologies. The patented technology reduces necessary X-ray dose to 70% and contract material volume to 50% for many X-ray fluoroscopy and angiography applications. The company is open to build partnership with medical X-ray instrument manufacturers, hospitals for joint R&D projects and with partners interested in the EU and USA markets. The technology is ready for licensing.
Description:
The Hungarian SME is developing new imaging methods. The company developed and patented a new X-ray modality to visualize blood vessel structure and peripheral artery pathologies The technology applies an altered data acquisition sequence and an altered data processing algorithm. It provides two different images at once. One of the two images is the conventional X-ray image. Together with this a novel dynamic image is also acquired that represents hidden local motions.
Detection of internal movements by X-ray imaging requires the acquisition of a series of images. A typical angiography examination requires 250 to 3500-fold dose of a typical chest X-ray. Cumulative exposure presents a safety issue for examining health professionals as well as for patients. A proprietary, patented analysis technology was developed that enables one to derive the equivalent information using fraction of the cumulative dose. The method can be easily added to existing X-ray imaging equipment. It could be inexpensively implemented in X-ray fluoroscopy and angiography instruments. The technology could be added with a detector and software upgrade to the instruments.
The technology allows obtaining the necessary diagnostic information about blood vessel structure in the lower extremities, furthermore can be used during prostatic artery embolization and transarterial chemoembolization using a much lower X-ray dose and contrast material volume than traditional X-ray fluoroscopy/angiography.
The technology only alters the intensity and the temporal distribution of the X-rays. Instead of a fully exposed image series, in fluoroscopy and angiography applications, the technology records a series of very underexposed images. This allows a drastic decrease of the necessary X-ray dose.
This technology is ready to be implemented as a software add-on to several existing X-ray imaging equipment, without hardware modifications.
Manufacturers implementing this technology would gain an edge compared to competitors. The company offers technical assistance to the manufacturers who implement the technology in their existing fluoroscopy and angiography instruments. The technology is available for licensing, and the common R&D collaboration can also be an option even for hospitals, healthcare providers.
Type (e.g. company, R&D institution…), field of industry and Role of Partner Sought:
- Type of partner sought: industrial or healthcare provider (hospital, office-based labs)
- Specific area of activity of the partner: company manufacturing medical X-ray imaging devices or a healthcare provider equipped with catheterization laboratory
- Task to be performed: Joint development, testing of a new product which uses the offered imaging technology. Licensing the technology.
Stage of Development:
Available for demonstration
Comments Regarding Stage of Development:
The patented technology was clinically validated on human X-ray images recorded on angiography and fluoroscopy instruments and implemented to a software. The technology is able to obtain the necessary diagnostic information about the blood vessels.
IPR Status:
Granted patent or patent application essential
Comments Regarding IPR Status:
Notice of allowance received from US PTO. Patent pending in the EU.
External code:
TOHU20210409001
