SOUTH CAROLINA – August 27, 2024 – GE HealthCare announced that it entered into a collaboration on imaging technology with the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
The two teamed up to investigate advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols and techniques for female-specific diseases and conditions of the pelvis. They aim to develop comprehensive educational materials for clinicians and elevate women’s pelvic health.
GE HealthCare said the partnership could enable more informed clinician decisions and diagnoses and increased access to quality care.
The Center for Translational Imaging and Precision Medicine (CTIPM) at UCSD serves as the site for collaborating on the project. Dr. Rebecca Rakow-Penner, deputy director for CTIPM, is leading the project. Rakow-Penner also serves as an associate professor of radiology and bioengineering at UCSD.
“We aim to democratize advanced imaging for women and increase access to high-quality care in the San Diego community and beyond,” said Rakow-Penner.
According to a news release, the project covers a range of diseases of the female pelvis. That includes better visualization of endometriosis and ovarian cancer using MRI techniques in both clinical and academic research settings.
The project aims to create training and educational materials alongside the protocols. GE HealthCare said it plans to make these available as resources to its MRI users around the world.
“Diseases and conditions impacting female patients bellow the belly button are often misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and understudied in our industry,” said Erin Angel, GE HealthCare global VP of research and scientific affairs. “We are optimistic that the results of the project could support more standard adoption of advanced imaging techniques and ultimately empower clinicians to make more informed decisions. We believe this project can help bridge an important gap in women’s healthcare and increase access to innovative solutions for women around the world.”