AI-powered healthcare company Viz.ai has received the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its algorithm to detect suspected abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
The algorithm, dubbed Viz AAA, leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically search for an AAA in a computed tomography angiography (CTA) from any scanner in a hospital.
The company offers the new algorithm and clinical workflow solution as part of its Viz AORTIC Module, designed to advance treatment decisions for all aortic pathology.
Viz AAA is the first AI-powered solution to receive FDA approval for the detection and triage of suspected AAA, said the company.
Viz.ai chief clinical officer Jayme Strauss said: “AAA is an important and actionable incidental finding that is too often missed.
“The vision behind Viz AAA is to automatically catch and follow abdominal aortic disease, no matter the patient’s location.
“We believe that this product will enable care teams to prevent catastrophic aortic emergencies, such as aortic rupture, by increasing the surveillance of these patients.”
According to the company, AAA is a bulge in the abdominal aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
The condition may lead to a rupture, which is often fatal if left undetected and untreated.
Viz.ai said that its advanced software, which can be integrated into existing hospital workflows, allows physicians to rapidly and easily identify patients suspected of AAA.
It is working with top hospitals and healthcare providers to implement the new Viz AAA algorithm into their clinical workflows, said the company.
TriHealth Vascular Surgeon Dr Patrick Muck said: “I look forward to the new aortic platform here at TriHealth, as its implementation will allow for enhanced identification, triage and team member communication, resulting in the best possible care for our aortic patients.
“We’ve been using the Viz software for the detection of suspected pulmonary embolism over the last several months and have seen improvements in patient care across our institution.”
