What You Should Know:
– GE HealthCare has announced its agreement to acquire icometrix, a company specializing in AI-powered brain imaging analysis.
– The acquisition is a strategic move to address the growing demand for MRI in personalized treatment planning for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Studies predict that the number of adults living with Alzheimer’s disease will double by 2050.
AI-Powered Brain Imaging
The demand for more frequent neurological MRI exams is increasing due to the global approval of new anti-amyloid therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. MRI technology is used to assess treatment eligibility and monitor potential side effects like brain swelling and microbleeds.
GE HealthCare plans to integrate the icometrix icobrain platform directly with its MRI systems to create a seamless workflow. The icobrain aria solution is particularly notable as it is the first FDA-cleared computer-aided detection and diagnosis solution for detecting and quantifying Amyloid Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA). ARIA is a known side effect of amyloid-targeting therapies.
The icobrain aria solution identifies both forms of ARIA (ARIA-E and ARIA-H) from MR scans and performs a longitudinal analysis of their occurrence over time. This provides radiologists with tools to monitor Alzheimer’s patients on anti-amyloid therapies, which supports both patient care and operational efficiency.
GE HealthCare intends to focus on expanding patient access to the icobrain aria solution on all vendor MRI systems through commercial distribution and clinical integration. By integrating this solution with its current MR systems and technologies, GE HealthCare expects to enable an optimized workflow that allows clinicians to manage an increased volume of scans without compromising the quality of care.
Strengthening the Neurology Portfolio
The icometrix suite of solutions also includes tools that assist radiologists and neurologists in comparing and quantifying brain MR scans for a range of disorders, including multiple sclerosis, dementia, epilepsy, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. This product suite also has a strong pipeline of clinical decision support applications in development.
The acquisition aligns with GE HealthCare’s precision care strategy and is expected to strengthen its clinical decision support applications for timely diagnosis and monitoring throughout neuro treatment pathways. The company’s existing neuro solutions portfolio, which includes MR and PET scanners, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and MIMneuro Software digital solutions, will be complemented by the icometrix technology.
“Building on our existing relationship, we are excited by the prospect of joining GE HealthCare and leveraging icometrix’ innovation talents and customer relationships to continue to improve the diagnostic and treatment journey for both neurological clinicians and their patients,” said Wim Van Hecke, icometrix CEO. “Together, we aim to leverage our complementary technology to address the complexities of managing neurological care.”
