Tokyo, Japan – June 14, 2018 – LPixel Inc., a leader in AI-powered medical diagnostic support technologies, is pleased to announce today the start of the preliminary orders of the image analysis service developed in collaboration with TCK Co., Ltd.
■Background
Advancements in pathological diagnosis and reconstructive medicine in recent years has generated an enormous number of images that can be used for diagnosing patients. This has been brought to the attention in the medical field as pathologists, who are already expected to possess a high level of skill to conduct the diagnosis, are presented with an increasing volume of images for diagnosis. This is increasing the workload of the 2300 pathologists working in Japan, which constitutes less than 1%¹ of all doctors working in the country.
■About the System
The system enables the user to observe living tissues down to the nano level. Consisting of an electron microscope, a laser ablation system, and a 3D image construction engine, the system fully automates the sample slicing and image acquisition process while minimizing the damages associated with tissue imaging, acquiring a large amount of slice images in short period of time, and generating a 3D image based on the slices. This system is expected to serve as a powerful aid in the advancement of fundamental research, such as cellular physiology. With deep learning technology and the ability to generate 3D images from the slices, the system is anticipated to become the next revolutionary tool to facilitate pathologists in the diagnosis process.
In this collaboration, LPixel will hone its knowledge and expertise in bio-medical imaging to develop the 3D image construction engine. With the seamless integration of the laser ablation system and imaging instruments, this system is expected to both standardize and greatly enhance the efficiency of pathological diagnosis.
■Demo Movie
■Initiatives
LPixel has been selected to take part in the Strategic Core Technology Advancement Program, a project led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. This project involves the development of a system that utilizes laser ablation technology² to enable a rapid and low-budget three-dimensional structural analysis of living tissues at nano-resolution. The project was also presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of The Japanese Society of Microscopy.
■Future Plans
This system is slated for official launch on Monday, April 1, 2019. Demos for the system will be showcased at BIOTech Japan 2018 scheduled to be held at Tokyo Big Sight from June 27, 2018 to June 29, 2018. LPixel will continue to hone its extensive knowledge and expertise in bio-medical imaging to contribute to the advancement in medical diagnosis.
¹ The Japanese Society of Pathology, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
² The process of removing material from a solid surface by irradiating it with a laser beam.
■About LPixel
LPixel is a leader in advanced image analysis and processing technology encompassing the life science field. Founded in March 2014, LPixel is dedicated to offering research facilities top-tier image analysis and medical diagnosis technologies, both of which are powered by AI. The company is currently working with the University of Tokyo, the National Cancer Center Japan and other research institutions to further the development of its AI-based medical diagnosis technology. For more information, please visit https://lpixel.net/en/
