EMVision (ASX:EMV) has unveiled its First Responder Proof of Concept device for deployment via road and air ambulances.
The backpack-sized scanner weighs less than 10 kilograms and will enable paramedics to scan and send images to stroke experts from the site of a suspected stroke. The technology has the potential to drastically improve the speed of diagnosis and treatment, particularly in settings where traditional imaging modalities like CT and MRI are not readily available.
“An abiding certainty in stroke is that the fastest possible diagnosis and treatment will result in better outcomes, such as less disability, for patients. There is a huge unmet clinical need for a portable, cost-effective, and easy-to-deploy device that can distinguish whether a suspected ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke has occurred. We are excited by the opportunity to help revolutionise prehospital stroke care and make a substantial positive impact on one of the major causes of global disability.” said Scott Kirkland, CEO and co-founder at EMVision.
The First Responder device leverages the underlying technology from EMVision’s emu brain scanner. The emu is a trolley-mounted device targeted for use in intensive care units, stroke and neurology wards, and rural emergency departments, involving a simple cap placed on the patient's head for quick scans and timely stroke and stroke subtype assessment.
This First Responder unit is a second-generation device with a lighter, miniaturised design and expanded antenna coverage designed to offer full brain coverage in a single scan. It will now undergo a series of studies and developments to ensure its usability, reliability, and functionality to support the regulatory approval pathway. Both devices can be operated at the point of care by any healthcare professional with minimal training.
Dr Lisa Murphy, CEO of the Stroke Foundation, said, “This is an exciting step forward in reducing the gap that exists between regional and metropolitan stroke care. Every Australian patient deserves access to fast treatment and quality stroke care, regardless of their postcode. Access to fast diagnosis and treatment of stroke can be the difference between life or death and recovering well or living with severe disability, so technology like this is critical in improving outcomes for survivors of stroke.