Perspectum expands AI and imaging CRO portfolio with Cardiac Imaging

Perspectum, a leading medical imaging company, has begun work on expanding its offering by including cardiac and lung imaging in many new research projects, specifically in Coronavirus multiorgan imaging studies.

Recently launched COVERSCAN and Modify are two such studies, which involve aortic and cardiac imaging using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to better understand disease impact and progression of COVID-19 and diabetes, respectively.

Gosia Wamil, Collaborator for the COVERSCAN study and Consultant Cardiologist at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust commented: "Recognising the impact of metabolic diseases on the cardiovascular system Perspectum expanded their portfolio with cardiac imaging, allowing full quantification of the cardiac function, volume measurements and tissue characterisation. With the use of T1 mapping sequences and tissue tracking techniques we can probe the heart tissue and recognise early signs of disease. Perspectum are also offering aortic stiffness assessment, which is increasingly used as an indirect predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes."

"MRI is a very well-established, robust and safe method to assess cardiovascular risk factors in metabolic syndrome and myocardial function. Extending our unique experience in quantitative abdominal imaging and AI to a multi-organ approach can be a game-changer to smartly aid clinicians and researchers in combining and stratifying a fast-growing number of relevant biomarkers," commented Andrea Borghetto, Head of Imaging Applications, Perspectum. "It is incredible what can be gained in only 30 minutes of minimally invasive magnetic resonance scan when you have the right team at work on it. In addition to that, our ongoing experience and success rate with COVID-19 survivors are enforcing our firm awareness that a product can have the right impact only if applicable and "bullet-proof" in a real clinical scenario."

This latest work in development is part of Perspectum's Atlas program, which is elevating what they can provide for sponsors in cardiometabolic disease. Atlas is a metabolic software suite being developed to improve outcomes for patients by offering a range of measures of organ health. Patients have likened the detail they see about their organ health to an internal mirror.

Quantitative cardiac volume, strain imaging, and aortic stiffness can be directly measured via MRI and are validated biomarkers for use in clinical trials, independently associated with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Uniquely, Perspectum can standardise values between scanners and field strengths as well as between modalities, exploiting ultrasound and MR fusion.