ANALYZING MEDICAL IMAGING DATA STARTING WITH BLOOD PERFUSION
ZiuZ is developing products to use its visual Intelligence capabilities to help hospitals analyze large amounts of medical imaging data and help surgeons to see things they could until now not see. The first product that comes out of these new product developments, is a Medical Device to help surgeons see and analyze blood perfusion.
ZiuZ and LIMIS Development have entered into a partnership to develop a medical imaging device designed to help prevent serious complications in colon cancer operations. The device provides surgeons with a real-time blood perfusion map of the blood flow during a colon operation to select the optimal site for the anastomosis, for the re-attachment of the colon stumps. The blood flow is measured using a technique called Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) where diffused coherent laser light produces a speckle pattern upon sub-surface blood flow.
Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging
Colon cancer is one of the most frequent forms of cancer for which different treatments exist. Often it is necessary to remove part of the colon and reattach the remaining parts by means of laparoscopic surgery. During this operation, there is a risk of one or both of the remaining parts being poorly perfused causing anastomotic leakage which is a major complication worldwide with occurrence rates ranging up to 13 percent and a mortality rate of around 10 percent. It occurs roughly 4 days post-surgery and often requires re-operation and prolonged hospitalization. Anastomotic leakage is multi-factorial, meaning that it is hard to determine the exact cause, however, the general consensus is that the state of perfusion at the site of the anastomosis is a major contributor. Currently, surgeons determine the state of microcirculation based on subjective measures of viability such as tissue color and palpable motion or bleeding at the resected edges. PerfusiX-Imaging is a medical device that provides surgeons with a real-time blood perfusion map of the blood flow during an operation of the colon to select the optimal site for the anastomosis. The blood flow is visualized using a technique called Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) where scattered coherent laser light produces a speckle pattern onto a camera sensor (CCD/CMOS) due to optical interference upon sub-surface blood flow.
Cooperation ZiuZ and LIMIS
ZiuZ Visual Intelligence and LIMIS Development have started a partnership to develop PerfusiX-Imaging. The starting point was to create a medical device that supported the surgeon’s ambition to reduce the most serious complications in laparoscopic colon cancer procedure. The philosophy ZiuZ always kept is to serve relevant societal issues through visual intelligence. LIMIS is a company originating from the hospital of Leeuwarden, understanding the need of surgeons. With the experience LIMIS has in med tech projects and laser speckle contrast imaging, this cooperation is a perfect fit.
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