Definiens enters medical imaging CAD market

Definiens is developing computer-aided detection (CAD) applications for 3D and 4D medical imaging to help radiologists identify and track lesions of interest.

Definiens said its CAD applications, such as the Definiens LymphExpert, will support radiologists in the collection of diagnostic data, reducing human error due to fatigue or data overload. The applications utilize contextual information to compare images from different modalities and over time in a consistent and reproducible manner. The LymphExpert will be introduced at the 2008 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.

Current measurement criteria employ only 1D measurements. The München, Germany-based Definien said its CAD applications are specifically designed to measure and track tumors volumetrically and over time, producing highly accurate assessments of tumor size and growth, the company said.

“Lymph nodes play a critical role in the assessment of the spread of cancer through the lymphatic system and the staging of almost all types of cancer and therapy control,” said Frank P. Klein, vice president of medical imaging at Definiens. “Our new applications will enable radiologists to analyze and track lymph nodes of interest in an accurate and consistent manner.”

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