Thirona’s LungQ 3.0.0 AI Software Receives FDA Clearance, Revolutionizing Minimally Invasive Lung Treatments
Thirona, a global leader in utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for advanced analysis of thoracic CT images, has announced that its AI-based clinical software LungQ (v3.0.0) has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k). This FDA clearance allows for the widespread use of the latest update of LungQ in hospitals across the United States.
LungQ 3.0.0 stands out as one of the few FDA-cleared solutions capable of utilizing AI to automatically segment pulmonary segments and subsegments within the lungs. By analyzing the lung tissue and evaluating the completeness of fissures, LungQ assists physicians in diagnosing and documenting pulmonary tissue images from CT thoracic datasets for each patient. This technology identifies important structures such as lobes, airways, segments, subsegments, and fissures.
The clearer understanding of lung anatomy provided by LungQ enables a broader adoption of minimally invasive treatments for lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. This advancement helps save healthy lung tissue and preserves lung function capacity. By acting as a map for lung anatomy, LungQ guides bronchoscopic navigation, greatly enhancing the precision, accuracy, and efficiency of bronchoscopic and surgical lung interventions.
Eva van Rikxoort, the Founder and CEO of Thirona, stated, Solutions like LungQ are helping usher in a new era of personalized treatment for lung patients, enabling clinicians all over the world to conduct more advanced, easier-to-perform, and less invasive procedures with full confidence.
The LungQ software initially received 510(k) clearance for version 1.1.0 in 2018. With the latest update based on deep-learning technology, version 3.0.0 provides pulmonologists with guidance on the most optimal approach to accessing various locations within the lungs, even the peripheral areas. This comprehensive delineation of pulmonary structures and provision of highly accurate reproducible CT values for pulmonary tissue offer essential non-invasive quantitative support for diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up examinations of lung patients.
Rita Priori, the Chief Technology Officer at Thirona, expressed excitement about expanding the value already observed in the clinic, stating, Our AI-based image analysis software LungQ is already used by interventional pulmonologists in Europe and Australia, aiding clinicians through procedures like bronchoscopic lung volume reduction and other interventions. We’re excited to build on the value we’re already seeing in the clinic, helping accelerate innovation in and adoption of a multitude of pulmonary interventions that require high precision on a subsegmental and segmental level, such as lung cancer biopsies, surgical lung volume reduction, lung segmentectomy, ablation procedures, and more.
LungQ, powered by AI, is approved for clinical use in Europe, the UK, and Australia. It is presently utilized in over 600 hospitals and has been validated in more than 200 publications globally. The FDA 510(k) clearance for LungQ opens up tremendous opportunities for planning and executing localized treatments with maximum precision and accuracy.
In conclusion, Thirona’s revolutionary AI software LungQ 3.0.0 receiving FDA clearance marks a significant milestone in the field of minimally invasive lung treatments. With its advanced analysis capabilities and precise guidance, LungQ is poised to transform lung disease management, offering personalized treatment options and improving patient outcomes. By embracing AI technology, clinicians can perform advanced pulmonary interventions with enhanced accuracy and efficiency, ultimately leading to a new era of lung care.
