Could an AI-Powered Enhancement of MRI be a Pre-Op Game Changer for Total Shoulder Arthroplasty?

An emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-powered may reinvent preoperative planning for total shoulder arthroplasty procedures.

When it comes to shoulder injuries, it is common to obtain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to ascertain any soft tissue damage. If there is a need for a total shoulder arthroplasty, one would usually order a computed tomography (CT) scan for preoperative planning due to superior resolution over the MRI. However, RSIP Vision says its new AI tool enables radiologists to segment and provide a resulting three-dimensional (3D) view of the shoulder bones from the MRI scan.

“Deep learning algorithms can be developed for accurate segmentation of the shoulder bones,” noted Ron Soferman, the CEO of RSIP Vision. “Neural networks are trained to process the resulting segmentation into a CT-grade segmentation, improving the original MRI resolution.”

"Using RSIP Vision's new technology, we can obtain accurate information regarding the soft tissue, as well as the osseous tissue, from a single shoulder MRI scan,” explained Shai Factor, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Tel-Aviv Medical Center in Israel. “This provides a wide view of the clinical case and allows the surgeon to properly diagnose and choose the best surgical procedure for the patient.”

Dr. Factor said this enhancement of the MRI with AI may eliminate the need for a preoperative CT not to mention decreasing costs and radiation exposure for the patient.

“Currently, we require a CT scan for surgical planning. This takes time and adds costs to the process. With this new tool, we can treat our patients faster, and save them the exposure to radiation from CT, without compromising on accuracy and clinical outcome,” emphasized Dr. Factor.

RSIP Vision noted the vendor-neutral technology is currently available to third-party MRI manufacturers.