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Experts from the Faculty of Information Technology at Brno University of Technology are working together with doctors from the University Hospital Brno to explore new possibilities for diagnosing respiratory diseases. The aim is to facilitate treatment planning and the evaluation of its effectiveness. The collaboration between FIT BUT and FN Brno brings important methods to medical practice. | Author: FIT Another of the university experts’ research projects is gaining important integration into medical practice. Researchers from the STRaDe group, including involved students, in cooperation with specialists from the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis at the University Hospital Brno, are working on the development of new methods for diagnosing and monitoring respiratory and lung diseases. The joint research is being carried out under a memorandum of cooperation signed at the beginning of this year. The team’s goal is to create detailed models of selected sections of the respiratory tract and at the same time explore options for measuring them as effectively as possible. Thanks to the combination of these approaches, doctors will have tools that allow them to monitor much more precisely how the respiratory tract changes over time – whether as a result of natural development or in connection with a specific disease. Such findings are crucial, for example, when deciding on treatment procedures or evaluating the effectiveness of applied therapy. Head of the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, Milan Sova, said about the practical applicability of the research: “In clinical practice, we often deal with situations where, for example, we need to calculate the diameters of the trachea and bronchi in real time during an endoscopic examination. Currently, no such solutions are available, and thanks to cooperation with FIT BUT we are able to explore new approaches and develop methods that will help our patients in the future. Our goal is to be at the forefront of research in this area, and collaboration with BUT is the way forward.” When asked about specific diagnoses where the new methods could be applied, Sova listed airway stenoses of both malignant and benign origin. Using computer vision and machine learning methods for imaging and measuring the airways. | Author: FIT To achieve these results, scientists are using a wide range of modern technologies. In addition to proven computer vision methods, they also rely on the latest machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques, which make it possible to automate the analysis of imaging data. They also draw inspiration from fields outside medicine, for example from the automotive industry, where similar algorithms have proven effective in real-time image analysis under demanding conditions. “Every day, new opportunities in artificial intelligence and image processing emerge, but their implementation into practice is gradual. Our effort is to transfer these technologies into real-world environments as quickly as possible and to find their concrete applications in healthcare. We believe that modern IT methods can bring tremendous benefits to the diagnosis and treatment of patients, which is why we work closely with the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis,” summarizes project motivation the lead researcher from FIT BUT, Tomáš Goldmann. The practical benefit of the cooperation is evident. “If everything goes according to plan, this will be a solution that will significantly simplify endoscopic examinations in patients with airway stenosis, tracheal dyskinesia, and similar conditions. The standard therapy will then follow, but it will be able to be ‘tailored’ to each patient,” concludes the desired goal Milan Sova from the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis. Source: Faculty of Information Technology