The Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation said it has received a $3 million grant from the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) to continue developing ultrasound computer-assisted diagnosis (CADx) software for triaging palpable breast lumps.
The foundation is collaborating with artificial intelligence firm ClearView Diagnostics to develop and clinically validate CADx software that can be used in conjunction with handheld ultrasound units by local health aides in developing countries. These health aides could potentially use the low-cost devices to determine which palpable breast lumps are benign and which may be malignant and need to be biopsied, according to the foundation.
The three-year phase II agreement will build on the results of the first phase of the study, which was also funded with a $4 million NCI grant. In the initial phase, the researchers found that the CADx software could have potentially reduced the number of benign lesions that were biopsied by around 50%, according to the foundation.
The pilot study in Mexico found that healthcare workers without imaging training could acquire ultrasound images equivalent to those obtained by a trained radiologist. In addition, the CADx software was able to distinguish between cancers and benign lesions, the foundation said.
The grant will be used to apply what was learned during the study's first phase to ultrasound operations Mexico, according to the foundation. The foundation's chief visionary officer, Dr. Susan Love, will serve as principal investigator for the grant. Other members of the team will include ClearView CEO Christine Podilchuk, PhD; ClearView founder Richard Mammone, PhD; and breast imaging radiologist Dr. Wendie Berg, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
