VisionQuest Biomedical Inc. and The University of New Mexico Combine Artificial Intelligence and Infrared Imaging to Diagnose Early Signs of Diabetic Foot
Summary
This system will complement our already successful EyeStar system for the detection of diabetic retinopathy and will allow us to screen for multiple diabetes complications in one visit.” Dr. Mark Burge (MD), deputy director of the University of New Mexico’s Clinical & Translational Science Center (CTSC) and co–principal investigator on this project, adds, “A simple test that can be performed by the primary care physician in the clinic and which is highly sensitive and specific does not currently exist. This device will fill an important gap in providing comprehensive care to individuals diagnosed with diabetes.” Diabetes affects 34.2 million people in the United States, or 10.5 percent of the population. VisionQuest’s fully automated, noninvasive system analyzes real-time thermal video of changing temperatures on the bottom of the foot to produce highly sensitive and consistent measurements of blood flow that can be used for diagnosis in primary-care clinics and do not require interpretation. Through this NIDDK grant, VisionQuest will complete the clinical validation needed to pursue clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring the device to market in the United States. It is committed to bettering health by streamlining science, transforming training environments, and improving the conduct, quality, and dissemination of research from laboratories to clinical practice, and out into communities.