Video retinal imaging company Epipole has announced it has begun working on a €1.1 million collaborative project to develop a technology solution for the diagnosis of intracranial pressure. The project is funded by the Eureka Eurostars programme, and is a collaboration between Epipole, fellow Denmark-based firm StatuManu ICP, and the University of Southern Denmark.
Intracranial pressure is a growing pressure inside the skull, typically as the result of a brain injury or other medical condition—but injuries to the brain can be complicated to detect, and this build-up of pressure is typically diagnosed via spinal tap (lumbar puncture), which is both invasive and expensive. Being able to quickly and easily measure changes in intracranial pressure in a non-invasive way is crucial to making the right decisions about a patient’s treatment, according to an Epipole press release.
The Eurostars project will combine Epipole’s patented, handheld video ophthalmoscope epiCam technology with StatuManu’s AI software, which can assess images of the blood vessels in the retina to provide instant assessment and continuous monitoring of changes in intracranial pressure. Epipole’s epiCam technology enables clinicians to scan the retina using real-time video and then extract high-quality images. Under this new collaboration, it will now be integrated with StatuManu’s AI software to capture the retinal data the software requires to make the diagnosis.
Following the completion of the technology integration, a clinical study to assess the effectiveness of the solution will be conducted at the University of Southern Denmark.
“Having reviewed all the available retinal cameras on the market, Epipole is the ideal partner for this project,” said Jakob Find Madsen, founder and CEO of StatuManu. “As a lightweight, handheld camera that also shoots high-resolution video, epiCam has all the capabilities needed to make this innovative system a success.”
“We are thrilled to have secured Eurostars funding for this exciting collaboration with StatuManu,” said Craig Robertson, founder and CEO of Epipole. “We are looking forward to helping revolutionise the way in which intracranial pressure is diagnosed to support better clinical decision making and, ultimately, to improve patient outcomes.”
