Feedback Medical announces a partnership with Axial Medical Printing Limited to enable the visualisation and use of 3D clinical-grade medical images from a patient’s own 2D scan through Feedback’s flagship medical imaging communications platform, Bleepa.

Axial3D uses advanced AI technologies to automatically segment imaging data and pull out isolated 3D reconstructions of individual organs or pathologies. These images will be available to view in the Bleepa platform and if required, can subsequently be turned into 3D printed models in a variety of materials. Axial3D’s AI imaging technology will be integrated with Bleepa to enable the movement of users and DICOM (the standard format for medical images) between the two platforms, leveraging Bleepa’s digital modular design to provide clinicians with 3D rendered images of specific pathologies or organs.

By partnering, frontline clinicians will be able to request Axial3D image renders from within Bleepa. The Bleepa user will be able to click through to Axial3D’s system from Bleepa and the supporting DICOM study will be automatically pushed by Bleepa to Axial3D.  Axial3D will enter into its own commercial relationship with customers, but Bleepa will act as the user access point and will facilitate the data transfer on its behalf, with the customer’s permission and following the agreed data processing arrangements between the customer and Axial3D.

Increasingly, clinicians are looking to 3D imaging and 3D printed models of anatomical areas, created exactly from patients’ 2D scans, which can be held in-hand and used for preoperative planning, simulation and collaborative team working.  These anatomical images and models are often used in patient communication and consultation to show and explain to patients their medical conditions and what their surgical procedures will involve.  3D anatomical models also have use in surgical education, providing medical students and junior doctors the opportunity to exactly see tumours, fractures, lesions and other abnormalities.

Dr Tom Oakley, CEO of Feedback, commented:

“The addition of 3D imaging and printing enhances our value proposition to Bleepa users and re-enforces our vision to bring clinicians together, armed with the tools and information they need to make better informed decisions faster. We are delighted to have Axial3D as such a dynamic and cutting-edge partner who share our vision and passion for supporting frontline clinicians. We hope that Bleepa will make Axial’s technology even more accessible to a wider clinical userbase and that our partnership will help to drive the adoption of this key technology into the mainstream of frontline care. This important milestone confirms our strategy of becoming a gatekeeper platform for third-party technologies in order to generate additional revenues beyond the Bleepa user licence. We hope that this will be the first of many such partnerships.”

Roger Johnston, CEO of Axial3D, said: 

“At Axial3D, we believe that the introduction of 3D imaging for planning complex surgeries can transform outcomes for patients, surgical teams and indeed hospitals. When surgeons use our models for surgical planning they tell us that in over 53% of cases they change their plan for surgery, compared to relying solely on the 2D MRI/CT scans. This leads to shorter surgeries, reduced costs of surgeries, reduced risk of patient infection with often less traumatic surgery, thus often leading to a shorter stay in hospital. Bleepa allows us to make available 3D imaging available as standard for clinical teams who are planning the surgeries, engaging with patients and their families, through to the surgeries themselves. We believe that Bleepa will transform surgical team collaboration across the NHS and beyond and Axial3D is delighted to be going on that journey with such a game-changing partner.”