Butterfly Network has joined an international research project aimed at evaluating the impact of AI-assisted point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) on early detection of tuberculosis (TB) in under-resourced regions.
The CAD LUS4TB consortium, which includes 10 African and European research institutions, will be using a new AI algorithm in the initial trial that uses Butterfly’s software development platform. The platform automates image classification for TB from images obtained with Butterfly’s portable ultrasound devices, the Burlington, MA-based company said.
The initial trial for the project will open in September and will involve 3,000 adult patients across sub-Saharan Africa. The AI-enabled POCUS will be used to help nonradiologist frontline healthcare workers to more quickly and accurately identify TB in patients.
In addition, the CAD LUS4TB consortium intends to produce evidence-driven policy that supports AI-enabled lung ultrasound in TB management, with the long-term goal of incorporating the technology into national healthcare policies and systems.
