The health system is the first in the US to commercially use the technology to help surgeons identify microscopic cancer in real-time.
Intermountain Health, a nonprofit health system in the Mountain West region, has become the first health system in the US to commercially deploy an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled imaging device designed to assess tissue margins during breast cancer surgery, according to a release from the company.
The system, known as the Perimeter Claire OCT System, uses optical coherence tomography to provide cellular-level visualization of tissue. According to Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, the technology is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved imaging device that uses AI during breast-conserving procedures to help surgeons see microscopic structures where cancer can be difficult to detect.
The clinical stakes for such technology are high, according to a release from Intermountain Health. Data cited by the company indicates that approximately 1 in 5 patients requires follow-up surgery because cancer was not fully detected in the operating room during the initial procedure.
“Every breast surgeon wants to give their patient the best possible chance of completing treatment in a single surgery, but microscopic cancer can be difficult to identify in the operating room,” says Teresa Reading, MD, a breast surgeon at Intermountain Health LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, in a release. “Claire was incredibly simple to incorporate into my workflow. The AI quickly directed my attention to specific areas of concern, giving me an additional set of trained eyes and more information to guide my decisions during these procedures.”
The technology builds upon a legacy platform used for general tissue imaging. The AI component sifts through images generated during the procedure to flag areas of concern, allowing for more informed decision-making while the patient is still in surgery.
“Reducing unnecessary repeat surgeries is a priority for Intermountain Health because every additional procedure places a burden on patients, families, surgeons, and the healthcare system overall,” says Phillip Wood, executive program director at Intermountain Ventures, in a release. “Claire gives our surgical teams new information at the point of care, when it has the greatest potential to influence the course of treatment.”
The system is currently in use at LDS Hospital and American Fork Hospital as part of a systemwide agreement between Intermountain Health and Perimeter Medical Imaging AI.
“The first deployment of Claire is a defining moment for Perimeter and for the use of AI in cancer surgery as a whole,” says Adrian Mendes, CEO of Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, in a release. “Intermountain is helping move this technology from clinical evidence into everyday care, creating a new opportunity to address one of the most persistent challenges in breast-conserving surgery and give more patients the best possible chance of avoiding additional procedures.”
