Optiscan Imaging has developed a cloud-based platform for the remote diagnosis of cancer using its remarkable medical imaging device. The company’s “pen-like” microscope is extraordinarily powerful and capable of delivering a real-time cancer diagnosis without the need for painful biopsies. The development of the cloud-based platform will allow cancer experts to diagnose cancer remotely from anywhere in the world using Optiscan’s device.

The company says its cloud-based telepathology platform has completed beta phase functionality testing and represents a major milestone on the path to commercialisation.

The project aims to allow remote access for pathologists to undertake virtual biopsy assessments using Optiscan’s exclusive, high-resolution single-cell imaging technology – without the need for an actual biopsy.

Management says the conventional biopsy approach is time-consuming for health providers, uncomfortable for patients and operationally challenging for anyone living in rural and remote areas.

‘This achievement makes the platform a potential game changer for telehealth consultations for patients who live outside of capital city areas. In the past, regional, rural and remote health facilities have lacked the dedicated pathology expertise limiting collaboration and immediate decision-making between clinicians and pathologists.’

Optiscan Imaging managing director and CEO Dr Camile Farah

The digital pathology platform partnership with Canadian software developer Prolucid Technologies began to develop artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms using Optiscan’s proprietary medical technology last year in order to enable immediate clinical decision-making.

The beta phase completion exhibits the ability to register, authenticate, and securely connect devices to the cloud platform. The company says Optiscan devices can now stream images to the cloud platform as they are acquired, enabling real-time visualization of a potential cancer by remote users. The session data can also be pushed to cloud storage for post-session review.

Optiscan Imaging managing director and chief executive officer Dr Camile Farah said: “This achievement makes the platform a potential game changer for telehealth consultations for patients who live outside of capital city areas. In the past, regional, rural and remote health facilities have lacked the dedicated pathology expertise limiting collaboration and immediate decision-making between clinicians and pathologists.”

Optiscan says it will now look to ramp up creation of a commercial platform and look to implement a minimalist version in a clinical setting, with further enhancements and features to be developed in subsequent phases.