Olympus Launches SeleCT Connect on Nuance AI Marketplace

Olympus Corporation has launched SeleCT Connect, a new program offering of its SeleCT Quantitative Computer Tomography (QCT) analysis service available to more than 9,000 healthcare facilities in the US through the Nuance AI Marketplace, a workflow-integrated cloud platform for diagnostic imaging AI algorithms. The SeleCT QCT service will streamline and optimize the screening process used to identify which patients are eligible candidates to receive a treatment with the Spiration Valve System, an FDA- designated breakthrough device for treating COPD patients. The patient selection process involves a thorough patient evaluation, including comorbidities, and high-resolution CT (computed tomography) scan analysis.

SeleCT Connect provides treating physicians and radiologists with an automated solution for sending CT studies directly from their Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS) to the SeleCT QCT analysis service; the SeleCT results are then automatically returned to the patient record in the PACS following analysis. The new service will also provide an option for SeleCT analysis results to be sent to a health system's electronic health record (EHR) for easier referring physician access.

The SeleCT Connect program is a collaboration between Imbio, Olympus' partner for the AI-based SeleCT analysis, and Nuance Communications, a leading provider of diagnostic imaging, conversational AI, and ambient intelligence solutions with a nationwide network of connected healthcare facilities.

"The connection to Nuance's expansive network of healthcare facilities helps physicians to quickly and easily identify qualified patients for key interventional respiratory procedures," said Lynn Ray, Global General Manager and Vice President, Respiratory for Olympus. "Using automated workflows, this solution enables treating physicians' access to detailed diagnostic data from the Imbio AI imaging solutions to determine if COPD patients can take advantage of our breakthrough Spiration Valve therapy, which has been shown to improve quality of life for qualified patients."

"Our collaboration with Nuance and Olympus advances our mission to add value and help deliver better patient care," said Dave Hannes, CEO, Imbio. "Imbio technology provides quantitative and personalized imaging analysis to ensure accurate patient selection for Olympus' breakthrough therapies using minimally invasive techniques, while the expansive Nuance network extends access to precision therapies to thousands of healthcare facilities across the United States."

"Nuance's cloud-based diagnostic imaging network is supported by AI- powered technology and services that aggregate and deliver diagnostic intelligence from screening through follow-up," said Peter Durlach, Chief Strategy Officer at Nuance Communications. "Our work with Imbio and Olympus is at the forefront of a rapidly expanding industry collaboration with providers, payers, medtech and pharma businesses to apply the power of diagnostic imaging at scale to meaningfully improve patient outcomes, increase access to advanced therapies and reduce costs."