Sam Brusco, Associate Editor01.24.22
Health tech firm Qure.ai has earned U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its qXR-BT artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to help doctors assess breathing tube placements.
The algorithm helps locate the breathing tube placement and automates measurements for intubated patients. According to the company, it’s the first tool of its kind to automate manual measurements for endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes.
Endotracheal tube (ETT) placement verification is vital for the patient’s oxygenation, ventilation, and airway protection. The Society of Airway Management reported mistakes during intubation threaten the lives of 121,000 ICU patients annually in the U.S.
Qure’s algorithm analyzes tube position, automates measurement, and reports on the tube’s positional accuracy in under a minute, helping quickly identify if the tube is properly positioned or extra attention is needed. The algorithm is vender-agnostic and works on portable and stationary X-ray machines.
“Daily monitoring of Tubes is critical for all intubated inpatients, and sometimes an arduous task on the portable exam with either the carina obscured or the tip not visible,” Dr. Mannudeep Kalra, attending thoracic radiologist, Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, who was involved in a research collaboration evaluating the technology, told the press. “An accurate AI solution could be a valuable aid for reporting on these chest X-rays- especially with the measurement.”
“We are pleased to have received FDA clearance for qXR-BT. In the last two years, we have seen the need to decrease processing times and solve workflow delays,” said Prashant Warier, CEO and co-founder of Qure.ai. “Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for mechanical ventilation in affected patients, the need for prompt assistance to an overburdened healthcare workforce is paramount,”
The company hopes to make qXR-BT a standard feature for the critical care framework.
The algorithm helps locate the breathing tube placement and automates measurements for intubated patients. According to the company, it’s the first tool of its kind to automate manual measurements for endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes.
Endotracheal tube (ETT) placement verification is vital for the patient’s oxygenation, ventilation, and airway protection. The Society of Airway Management reported mistakes during intubation threaten the lives of 121,000 ICU patients annually in the U.S.
Qure’s algorithm analyzes tube position, automates measurement, and reports on the tube’s positional accuracy in under a minute, helping quickly identify if the tube is properly positioned or extra attention is needed. The algorithm is vender-agnostic and works on portable and stationary X-ray machines.
“Daily monitoring of Tubes is critical for all intubated inpatients, and sometimes an arduous task on the portable exam with either the carina obscured or the tip not visible,” Dr. Mannudeep Kalra, attending thoracic radiologist, Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, who was involved in a research collaboration evaluating the technology, told the press. “An accurate AI solution could be a valuable aid for reporting on these chest X-rays- especially with the measurement.”
“We are pleased to have received FDA clearance for qXR-BT. In the last two years, we have seen the need to decrease processing times and solve workflow delays,” said Prashant Warier, CEO and co-founder of Qure.ai. “Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for mechanical ventilation in affected patients, the need for prompt assistance to an overburdened healthcare workforce is paramount,”
The company hopes to make qXR-BT a standard feature for the critical care framework.