Dec 13 2013
Mauna Kea Technologies announced today it has entered into a research collaboration agreement with the Imperial College London, United-Kingdom, to develop next generation computer vision features for the use of optical biopsy based on the Cellvizio technology platform.
The goal of this initiative will be to develop new imaging capabilities to improve the optical biopsy procedure and make it completely intuitive to clinicians of all specialties. This work will be done in coordination with Prof. Guang-Zhong Yang, Director of The Hamlyn Centre at Imperial College London.
Optical biopsy with Cellvizio enables the visualization of tissues at the cellular level during an endoscopic examination to determine the presence of diseases and conditions such as cancer. The procedure combines an advanced imaging technology with standard endoscopy. The images created by Cellvizio are produced by optically penetrating thin layers of tissue. Unlike traditional tissue biopsy, there is no removal of tissue samples and no related tissue damage. The procedure produces images with microscopic precision that can provide physicians with real time information to support faster and more accurate diagnosis.
“We have been using Mauna Kea Technologies' Cellvizio platform for many years and have been impressed with its vast potential for a multitude of clinical indications in endoscopy and surgery”, said Prof. Guang-Zhong Yang. “We value our newly established partnership with Mauna Kea given our common interests in advanced medical imaging and the complementary nature of our capabilities. We are eager to get this project underway and believe that, together, we can continue to innovate for the benefits of patients and healthcare systems around the world”.
In this collaboration, research teams from Mauna Kea Technologies and the Hamlyn Centre will join forces to apply cutting-edge computer vision technologies to the Cellvizio platform and its EVA operating system. These efforts will be designed to streamline the use of optical biopsy during a range of advanced endoscopic and surgical procedures. Each organization will deploy a team of highly seasoned engineers to advance these initiatives over the next year.
“We are very proud to expand our collaborative relationship with Professor Yang and the entire engineering and research team at the Hamlyn Centre of Imperial College, one of the world’s leading academic centers for robotics and computer vision. As an early adopter of the Cellvizio platform, the Centre has applied our technology to perform visionary work by combining Cellvizio with a several cutting-edge technologies”, said Sacha Loiseau, founder and CEO of Mauna Kea Technologies. “Given our shared vision of potential of optical biopsy and its applications to improve patient care, this collaboration has the potential to establish new standards in diagnostics in the management of many forms of cancer and other serious diseases. These efforts will also advance Mauna Kea’s position as the world's leading provider of optical biopsy solutions”.