IUG Intelligent Ultrasound Group Plc

Intelligent Ultrasound announces that its gestational age estimation AI software, ScanNav FetalCheck, is being used in the largest ever trial study on use of aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia

PRESS RELEASE 27 February 2024: Intelligent Ultrasound Group plc (AIM: IUG), the 'classroom to clinic' ultrasound company specialising in artificial intelligence (AI) software and simulation, is pleased to announce that its gestational age software, ScanNav FetalCheck, is to be used in the largest ever trial on the use of aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia.

Conducted in Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, the trial is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by international NGO Concept Foundation*. It will compare the effects of daily intake of two different doses of aspirin during pregnancy: 75 mg and 150mg among pregnant women at high risk of developing pre-eclampsia. It aims to advance evidence on pre-eclampsia prevention and inform policies so that women who are treated with aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia receive a dose that is both effective and safe.

Having an accurate gestational age is important in the prevention of pre-eclampsia for two reasons. Firstly, the risk of the condition depends on a number of clinical factors which change with gestational age. Secondly, the prophylactic effect of aspirin depends on when it is first administered within the pregnancy. However, accurate determination of fetal age is difficult in LMICs as it must be measured by trained sonographers, and very few front-line healthcare workers have the necessary skills.

The clinical trial sites conducting risk screening will use Intelligent Ultrasound's ScanNav FetalCheck software to enable frontline healthcare professionals, with no prior experience of ultrasound, to quickly estimate gestational age.

The software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to estimate the gestational age without requiring the sonographer to take precise biometry measurements. As well as allowing any healthcare professional to make the measurement, the technology also reduces equipment cost and speeds up the scan without compromising accuracy. **

Nicholas Sleep, COO at Intelligent Ultrasound said:

"We are very pleased that a trial of this size is using ScanNav FetalCheck to accurately measure gestational age as an important factor in the prevention on pre-eclampsia. We see this as continued endorsement of our technology for situations when scanning needs to be undertaken by healthcare professionals with limited experience of ultrasound.

In the future, we aim to roll-out the technology in primary care settings in both LMICs and in high income countries (HICs) by allowing the age of the fetus to be assessed in a primary care setting where women need it. This will not only help reduce the incidence of pre-eclampsia but can also improve the management of other pregnancy-related conditions that affect mother and fetus."

* The project is conducted in collaboration between Concept Foundation, Burnet Institute, University of Ghana, University of Nairobi, University of Cape Town, Nossal Institute for Global Health  - University of Melbourne, Tommy's National Centre for Maternity Improvement, and Intelligent Ultrasound, with the generous financial support of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

** ScanNav FetalCheck is currently not licenced for clinical use. Validation studies in progress.

ENDS

Enquiries:

About Intelligent Ultrasound Group

Intelligent Ultrasound (AIM: IUG) is one of the world's leading 'classroom to clinic' ultrasound companies, specialising in real-time hi-fidelity virtual reality simulation for the ultrasound training market ('classroom') and artificial intelligence-based clinical image analysis software tools for the diagnostic medical ultrasound market ('clinic'). Based in Cardiff in the UK and Atlanta in the US, the Group has two revenue streams:

Simulation

Real-time hi-fidelity ultrasound education and training through simulation.  Our main products are the ScanTrainer obstetrics and gynaecology training simulator, the HeartWorks echocardiography training simulator, the BodyWorks Eve Point of Care and Emergency Medicine training simulator with Covid-19 module and the new BabyWorks Neonate and Paediatric training simulator. To date over 1,500 simulators have been sold to over 750 medical institutions around the world.

Clinical AI software

Deep learning-based algorithms to make ultrasound machines smarter and more accessible using our proprietary ScanNav ultrasound image analysis technology. Current products on the market utilising this technology are GE HealthCare's SonoLyst software that is incorporated in their Voluson Expert 22 and SWIFT ultrasound machines; ScanNav Anatomy PNB that simplifies ultrasound-guided needling by providing the user with real-time AI-based anatomy highlighting for a range of medical procedures; and NeedleTrainer that teaches real-time ultrasound-guided needling and incorporates ScanNav Anatomy PNB. 

www.intelligentultrasound.com

NOTE: ScanNav Anatomy PNB is CE approved and cleared for sale in the US by the FDA, but is not available for sale in any other territory requiring government approval for this type of product.