Wednesday, March 16, 2016
GE Healthcare ($GE) is rolling out digital pathology software that could help doctors diagnose cancer more quickly. The move comes a few months after GE launched cloud-based radiology apps to give healthcare providers more options for analysis and data storage.
Omnyx, a joint venture between GE Healthcare and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), are developing software called Dynamyx that can help doctors diagnose cancer digitally. Physicians can view images and talk to one another in real-time to try to find the correct diagnosis.
"As cancer care increases in volume and complexity, the essential need for technology and innovation mounts," Omnyx CEO Mamar Gelaye said in a statement. "We at Omnyx understand the burden on clinicians and the stakes for patients. Dynamyx represents our direct response to this growing need for healthcare providers."
Omnyx kicked off operations in 2008 after GE and UPMC struck a $20 million deal. The company was aiming to create a "virtual microscope" used to scan and store images electronically.
Omnyx has since grown by leaps and bounds, heeding the industry's call for more computer-based diagnostic and imaging tools. In March 2015, the company revealed that diagnostic lab company Clarient would use its proprietary software to help pathologists make cancer diagnoses.
"The clinical reality is that fighting cancer begins with an accurate diagnosis. Cancer diagnosis and treatment is most effective as it becomes more personalized--and that means the role of the pathologist is crucial," Clarient CMO Kenneth Bloom said at the time.
In November, GE Healthcare launched its Health Cloud with four radiology apps. Omnyx developed the apps, which include one for image postprocessing and another for storing and analyzing a patient's imaging data.
Source : fiercemedicaldevices.com
