VinBrain inks deal to transfer AI technology for tuberculosis screening

February 29, 2024 | 15:20
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On February 27, VinBrain, a pioneering AI HealthTech company within Vingroup conglomerate, officially signed a commercial agreement with Global Fund to transfer Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for Tuberculosis (TB) screening and detection as part of Vietnam's National Tuberculosis Prevention Campaign.

VinBrain is the sole entity chosen for this agreement with Global Fund in 2024. DrAid™ for TB Screening, a solution developed from VinBrain's innovative and visionary approach to applying advanced technology, aligns with the stringent criteria of the fund, contributing to community health and progress.

VinBrain inks deal to transfer AI technology for tuberculosis screening
VinBrain's AI technology is integrated into mobile X-ray trucks

Vietnam ranks 11th among the world’s top high-burden countries for TB and drug-resistant TB. With over 12,000-15,000 annual deaths and hundreds of thousands infected, primarily within economically disadvantaged communities, the need for effective solutions is paramount

Developed entirely by Vietnamese experts using a dataset of 4 million machine learning samples, DrAid™ for TB Screening has been validated and successfully deployed in many hospitals nationwide by reputable independent organisations worldwide such as the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics and Friends for International Tuberculosis Relief.

Under this agreement, VinBrain plans to transfer the technology of 32 AI licences, enabling the screening of 1 million potential TB cases starting in April 2024. This marks the largest scale initiative of its kind to date.

The collaboration aims to transform TB detection using advanced AI technology, significantly reducing diagnosis time by analysing X-ray images. This eliminates the need for extra TB bacterial PCR tests, cutting screening costs from $50-60 to only $1. Furthermore, the AI outputs its results in a file or QR code format, reducing environmental impact.

DrAid™ for TB Screening, with a sensitivity and specificity of up to 96 per cent, has long been a reliable diagnostic tool for doctors in Vietnam.

Dr. Pham Ngoc Thanh, head of the Medical Imaging Department at Hai Phong Lung Hospital said, "The accuracy of reading X-ray images from DrAid™ for TB Screening is up to 95 per cent in about 1,000 suspected TB patients."

With the ability to quickly identify abnormal TB regions in chest X-ray images within 15–20 seconds, the advanced technology will make TB screening accessible to the community on a large scale.

VinBrain inks deal to transfer AI technology for tuberculosis screening
The accuracy of DrAid™ for TB Screening is up to 95 per cent, reducing the time for disease detection and lowering screening costs

In line with VinBrain's mission and collaborative spirit, DrAid™ AI-based TB screening solution is preparing to launch a version dedicated for children with a sensitivity of 91 per cent and specificity of 89.5 per cent.

This groundbreaking and pioneering technology supports comprehensive TB diagnosis for children aged 3 to 15, a group often overlooked in conventional testing methods and prone to the misinterpretation of chest X-rays.

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By Thanh Van

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