Zebra Medical to bring AI-based image analysis to Google Cloud

Zebra Medical Vision, which last month offered its image analysis algorithms for a flat rate per scan, is teaming up with Google to offer its algorithms on the Google Cloud.

The new offering, dubbed AI1, makes all of Zebra’s current and future image analysis algorithms available to healthcare providers for $1 per scan. The algorithms are trained to screen for various conditions in medical imaging, including the detection of liver, lung, bone and cardiovascular disease.

"With the AI1 all-in-one offering, enabled on Google Cloud, we can offer health providers ongoing population-health and clinical insights to improve patients' lives and reduce healthcare costs," said Zebra CEO Elad Benjamin, in a statement. "We are making a commitment to provide our current tools, and all future ones, for a flat $1 USD per scan. By doing so we believe that a true difference can be made in the provision of radiology services worldwide."

Zebra’s AI-based image analysis system is already in use in more than 50 hospitals worldwide. The algorithms are trained on an anonymized database of medical images and clinical data to be able to spot certain markers in imaging.

When a patient undergoes imaging, such as a CT scan, the image is sent to Zebra’s image analysis engine and used internally by a hospital to inform diagnosis. Because the platform is installed on site, it puts the burden of storing images on hospitals. The company aims to solve this problem with the Google Cloud integration.

In addition to the Al1 suite, Zebra has taken other steps to broaden the availability of its software. In July, the company partnered with India’s Teleradiology Solutions to introduce the platform in 20 countries in Asia and Africa.