UK AI firm forms partnership for COVID-19 X-ray tech to be used in India

UK-based AI radiology company Behold.ai has formed a partnership with Apollo Radiology International, part of the Apollo Hospitals Group, on a pilot programme using Behold.ai’s ‘instant triage’ AI-based chest X-ray technology to triage suspected COVID-19 patients.

Behold.ai will supply its red dot algorithm via Apollo Radiology International to Apollo Hospitals’ network of 71 hospitals in India, comprising 12,000 beds. The algorithm will also be deployed in some local government-run hospitals in India as part of the pilot programme making it the world’s largest deployment of a radiology-based AI diagnostic solution for COVID-19. The service is expected to go live when the lockdown measures are eased by the government of India.

The red dot algorithm is able to diagnose chest X-rays as ‘normal’ or abnormal in 30 seconds. This ‘instant triage’ offers clear benefits over conventional human-read processes when time is of the essence. Behold.ai was recently issued with a CE Mark Class IIa certification for diagnosis in the UK and Europe for its red dot algorithm. The technology has also been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and commercial rollout in the US is planned for later this year.

Simon Rasalingham, chairman and chief executive of behold.ai, said: “Working with a leading hospital provider like Apollo Hospitals is an important milestone for a UK company in the global AI marketplace. We continue to work to make our AI-based technology available in countries around the world. Our technology has been proven to rapidly diagnose chest X-rays as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ accurately, potentially allowing for faster diagnosis of individuals with COVID-19 and the better management of resources in healthcare systems already stretched by the increase in hospital admissions. If successful, this infinitely scalable pilot programme could make a significant difference to hospitals across India and the rest of the world struggling to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Dr Sreenivasa Raju Kalidindi, CEO, Apollo Radiology International, added: “Radiology reporting for COVID-19 has to be easily accessible, quick and accurate so that immediate decisions can be made on the next steps. To achieve these goals, Apollo Radiology International is setting up a dedicated centralised COVID-19 reporting service. Behold.ai’s chest X-ray algorithm will be an important component of this service. The instant triage provided by this algorithm will be a key factor that will allow our radiologists to provide immediate reports for these patients.”