Feedback plc, the medical imaging software company, has announced that it is undertaking a study using its TexRAD research product with the Diagnostic Radiology department at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) in Brisbane, Australia. The study will assess the potential for clinical workflow integration for TexRAD quantitative computed tomography (CT), specifically focused on non-small cell lung cancer.

TexRAD, originally launched as a spinout company by the University of Sussex and based on research conducted at the University’s Department of Engineering and Brighton and Sussex Medical School, was bought by Feedback plc in a deal worth £800,000 last year.

The study will be led by Prof. Ken Miles, Senior Medical Officer in the Diagnostic Radiology department of PAH. Prof. Miles is also a Professorial Research Associate in the Institute of Nuclear Medicine at University College London. Prof. Miles has an international reputation in functional imaging of tumours, ranging from the development of new techniques through to demonstrating cost-effectiveness. He has been one of the pioneers of CT perfusion (blood-flow) and CT texture (heterogeneity) analysis technologies.

“TexRAD as research software has been used to investigate lung cancer on CT where it has been shown to be associated with underlying tumour biology and has the potential to be an independent prognostic marker,” said Prof. Miles. “Preliminary studies have also demonstrated potential clinical applications for TexRAD analysis to assist treatment decisions and optimise lung cancer patient management in a cost-effective manner. We hope this study will demonstrate that TexRAD could be incorporated into the routine radiological workflow.”

“Prof. Miles is one of the top functional imaging academics, dual trained in radiology and nuclear medicine and we are delighted that he will be leading the very first landmark study in evaluating potential clinical implementation with our TexRAD software focused on lung cancer, said Dr. Balaji Ganeshan, Chief Scientist and New Business Officer of TexRAD and Cambridge Computed Imaging. “Working with Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane will enhance our TexRAD research collaborator base with the addition of a key site in this new geographical region.”

TexRAD is a software application that analyses the textures in existing radiological scans to assist the clinician in assessing the prognosis of patients with cancer.