Artificial intelligence was at the top of everyone's minds at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting.
The conference, held in Chicago from Dec. 1 to Dec. 5, attracted more than 52,000 attendees including radiologists, vendors and researchers. While many radiology vendors were happy to let attendees pose next to their latest imaging equipment, it was AI that they couldn't stop taking about.
Related: Radiology industry embraces AI at annual meeting
In terms of clinical AI, radiology has dominated the landscape. The Food and Drug Administration has approved 787 AI and machine learning devices for use in radiology, according to the most FDA recent data in August. Cardiology, the second most commonly used specialty for AI, has just 98 approvals.
Here is a look at five companies that focused on AI, potential acquisitions and more at RSNA 2024.
GE Healthcare is all in on AI
GE Healthcare had a major presence at the show with dozens of imaging machines at its booth and conducted demonstrations on the equipment with the help of attendees.
The company also said it was doubling down on its AI-enabled products and services. At the show, GE Healthcare demonstrated an AI tool that aims to help radiologists triage images from high-risk patients in a number of clinical areas.
GE also rolled out AI for specific imaging tools like X-ray machines. The company said its Critical Care Suite, which is where radiologists and clinicians can view digital scans, will have embedded AI algorithms that are able to help automate measurements and prioritize cases.
The company is betting big on AI and has plans to ramp up development of AI-enabled devices by adding more than 120 new ones to its portfolio in the next three years. GE HealthCare also made two AI-focused acquisitions in the AI space in 2024 when it bought medical imaging analysis software company MIM Software in April for an undisclosed price and Intelligent Ultrasound's clinical AI business for $51 million.
Roland Rott, GE HealthCare’s president and CEO of imaging division, said in an interview at RSNA the company would be open to pursuing future acquisitions or partnerships in specific care pathways.
“As we became a standalone, public company we also became more open and able to do inorganic plays,” Rott said.
Aidoc sees opportunity for future acquisitions
Aidoc, which has an enterprise-wide operating system that helps providers implement AI-driven workflows in a number of clinical areas, is also open to pursing mergers and acquisitions, said CEO Elad Walach.
“I definitely believe there are inorganic opportunities,” Walach said. “Funding will dry out for some, right? And for us, as a pretty attractive company, I think we have those opportunities."
The company, which has raised $250 million since its founding in 2016, has become an early leader in the radiology AI space with customers that include Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic, New Hyde Park, New York-based Northwell Health, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Ochsner Health. Among providers considering purchasing an AI solution for imaging, Aidoc and Nuance were the most frequently named vendors, according to a report published Monday from KLAS Research.
The company said on Monday it had submitted a foundation model to FDA for approval. The model, which is for CT imaging, would identify rib fractures.
Philips partners with Mayo Clinic for AI in cardiac MRIs
Philips said at the event its collaborating with Annalise.ai, a medical imaging AI company, to investigate the feasibility of an AI tool that helps clinicians optimize workflows for conditions like traumatic brain injuries. Philips also announced a series of new AI tools, including one that was working on with Mayo Clinic for cardiac MRI scans. Read more.
Siemens Healthineers debuts updated tech for ultrasounds
Siemens Healthineers announced it had added additional AI capabilities to ultrasound scanners. The company said its new capabilities could automatically label and measure organs in the abdomen, a function Siemens said could benefit 90% of ultrasound users who have reported pain while undergoing a scan.
Siemens Healthineers also launched two new, more affordable photon-counting CT scanners and rolled out a new ultrasound tool that allows better image quality for patients being scanned for breast and musculoskeletal images.
Nvidia touts collaboration, stays focused on company partnerships
It wasn't just medical device companies making noise at RSNA for AI applications in radiology. Chipmaker Nvidia announced Siemens Healthineers adopted its MONAI Deploy, an open-sourced framework for building healthcare AI models. The module aims to help bridge the gap from research to clinical production and speed up the integration of AI workflows for medical imaging in clinical settings, said Nvidia’s head of global business development for healthcare and medical technology David Niewolny
Niewolny said in an interview at RSNA the company will continue prioritizing partnerships with companies that are building healthcare-focused AI applications.
“You generally need a deployment platform and who is better at that than companies that have been historically building solutions for healthcare providers,” Niewolny said in an interview.
