Software Developed for Bone and Soft Tissue Imaging

New technology called the Degenerative Knee Indicator (DKI) will soon provide surgeons, radiologists, physiotherapists, and physicians with more image detail, at less cost, than conventional knee imaging technologies. The DKI image provides the soft tissue detail achieved with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with the bone detail of an X-ray.

Biofusion plc (Cardiff, Wales, UK), a university intellectual property (IP) commercialization company, recently launched a new portfolio company, Demasq Limited, which is developing a range of innovative bone and soft tissue imaging products based on its advanced medical imaging technology.

Demasq is a new spinout company from Biofusion's partnership with Cardiff University (Cardiff, Wales, UK), and is the result of work carried out by Prof. Hechmi Toumi, a specialist at the muscle-bone-tendon unit of Cardiff University's School of Biosciences. Prof. Toumi has been advised in his work by Prof. John Fairclough, consultant orthopedic surgeon at University Hospital Wales (Cardiff, UK), and a leading knee specialist.

Demasq's first product, the DKI, will be launched in the United Kingdom and the United States in 2009. Similarly, Demasq is generating a pipeline of additional products for a range of imaging applications.

Knee pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint for which patients seek medical advice, with nearly 20 million people visiting their physician with knee problems every year in the United States alone. Commenting on the launch and investment, David Baynes, chief executive officer of Biofusion, said, "We are very excited by the cutting edge advanced medical imaging technology that Demasq has developed. Its first product, which targets the multimillion-pound knee pain-diagnosis market, has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of knee problems for patients. We are particularly excited by the speed with which we believe we can launch the first product into the US and UK private sector markets.”

Commenting on the technology, Prof. Toumi, said, "This is an exciting venture, which promises to alter our perception of the conventional use of X-rays. The soft tissues, which have been invisible in the past are exactly the ones where most disease processes occur. The Degenerative Knee Indicator allows clinicians to determine the health or otherwise of these soft tissues.”

Also commenting on the technology, Prof. John Fairclough, from the University Hospital Wales, said, "The Demasq imaging technique offers to the medical world a revolutionary method of viewing conventional X-rays, which will be of great potential benefit to both the medical practitioners and the providers of healthcare. This exciting invention will potentially offer that rare combination of providing new information to clinicians to help patients while potentially reducing the cost to the health service.”


Related Links:
Biofusion
Cardiff University