ContextVision, SharpView, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Center Medical Image Science and Visualization Join Forces on 3D Image Enhancement Study

Real-time 3D filtering to enable increased image quality and higher patient throughput in MRI and dose reduction for CT

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – November 3, 2009 – A collaborative study between ContextVision AB, SharpView AB, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) was announced today. The study will investigate advanced 3D image filtering as a means of increasing patient throughput and improving image quality in MRI and further enabling dose reduction in CT. Researchers will compare state-of-the-art 3D techniques with 2D filters. ContextVision and its partner company SharpView have previously worked with CMIV at Linköping University, Sweden to pioneer advances in image enhancement, adaptive filtration and 3D filtration, leading to lower-dose CT and faster MRI procedures with better image quality. The new study will build upon existing research collaboration among the organizations, with MGH’s Mannudeep Kalra, MD as principal investigator. The study aims to demonstrate that 3D filtering can allow hospitals and practitioners to increase patient throughput for MRI, enabling one to two additional patient appointments per day. For CT, the study will show that 3D image filtering can enable high-quality images at lower doses, increasing safety for patients and technicians. “I look forward to further investigating the potential offered by advanced image enhancement algorithms within the extraordinary environment that CMIV offers at Linköping University,” said Dr. Mannudeep Kalra, Instructor in Radiology, Harvard Medical School, MGH. “Using new 3D algorithms from the pioneering companies in this arena presents exciting possibilities in both CT dose reduction and MRI patient throughput.” “We are proud to grow our international research collaboration with such a world-leading research authority in CT radiation dose as Dr. Mannudeep Kalra,” said Anders Persson, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization, Linköping University. “The multiple organizations involved, including internationally-established leaders ContextVision and SharpView, raise this study’s profile and continues the tradition of CMIV’s leading-edge visualization research.” “As one of the founders of ContextVision – which emerged out of Linköping University – I am delighted to advance this important research project between CMIV and MGH,” said Martin Hedlund, CTO for ContextVision. “This combination of talents from the most qualified image enhancement players in the world will yield powerful results.” “This research collaboration fits with SharpView’s role as a leading supplier of image enhancement algorithms worldwide to hospitals and clinics,” said Magnus Aurell, CEO, SharpView. “We look forward to results.”

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