Varian (NYSE: VAR) announced today that it is working with Google Cloud to build an AI-based diagnostic platform.
The companies’ focus is on AI models for organ segmentation—a crucial, labor-intensive step in radiation oncology that can often turn into a clinical workflow bottleneck. Organ segmentation can take hours per patient. It involves identifying the organs and tissues in diagnostic images that must be targeted or protected during radiation therapy.
Varian is using Google Cloud AI Platform’s Neural Architecture Search (NAS) technology to create an AI segmentation engine that it’s training — using Varian’s proprietary treatment planning image data — to create customized auto-segmentation models for organs in the body. Varian plans to incorporate the new models into its treatment planning software tools in cancer centers worldwide.
“At Varian, we are working towards a world without fear of cancer, where high-quality cancer care — personalized and optimized for each patient — is available everywhere. To that end, we have committed ourselves to Intelligent Cancer Care, which seeks to automate routine or repetitive tasks in the radiation oncology workflow through the use of smart algorithms, machine learning, and AI,” said Corey Zankowski, SVP of Varian’s Technology and Innovation Office.
“This collaboration with Google Cloud will turbocharge our efforts in this area,” Zankowski said in a news release.