Technology partnership: Mühlenkreiskliniken establish AI research laboratory – kma Online

Mill district clinics

Prof. Dr. Jan Borggrefe, Director of the University Institute for Radiology at the Mühlenkreiskliniken, shows in the new data laboratory of the Mühlenkreiskliniken what possibilities AI can provide for diagnosing X-ray images.

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The Mühlenkreiskliniken and Siemens Healthineers want to research the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in radiology and thereby advance technological development and the quality of clinical care. To this end, they are now entering into a ten-year technology and research partnership.

The Mühlenkreiskliniken and the University Institute for Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine are important partners for Siemens Healthineers: “We were particularly impressed by the network structure and the breadth of the care levels. The Mühlenkreiskliniken offer all levels of care, from basic care to university medicine. This is almost unique in Germany, ”says Dr. Philipp Fischer, global head of the Computed Tomography Business Unit at Siemens Healthineers.

Devices still in use before global market launch

In addition to expanding the technological infrastructure, the technology and research partnership also includes comprehensive equipment. In the next three years, more than 30 brand new large radiological devices will be installed at the Mühlenkreiskliniken locations. In some cases, groundbreaking, innovative devices will be available to patients in the Minden-Lübbecke district and beyond before they are launched worldwide.

“As a result of our advance scientific work, we are now receiving technologies from Siemens Healthineers that cannot be bought with money alone. This includes not only good devices, but also a digital network structure for broad patient care, which integrates diverse applications of artificial intelligence into everyday life. This will lead to a further improvement in our supply performance and will transform the machine room of the Minden University Hospital as well as that of the locations in Bad Oeynhausen, Lübbecke and Rahden into innovation hotspots. It is a great example of how the Mühlenkreis benefits from the academic work in the Ruhr-Universität Bochum network, ”explains Professor Dr. Jan Borggref, director of the institute.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) training camp

A first project of the new cooperation has already been implemented: the IDKIS (Interdisciplinary Data Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Statistics) has been set up in the Minden University Hospital in recent weeks. At first glance, completely inconspicuous, behind the computer workstations are three high-performance servers, a science infrastructure and prototypes as well as certified clinical applications of the latest AI software.

For example, the algorithms search through radiological images, detect anomalies and suggest diagnoses. In an interactive process with the medical profession, the algorithms can then support them live at work in order to be able to evaluate difficult cases even more precisely. In other projects, the algorithms simply help to speed up the examination and to produce meaningful images with little or no radiation. “We are working on various research projects to improve the algorithms. The aim is for artificial intelligence to become the standard for research in a few years’ time. We run a training camp for artificial intelligence in Minden, ”says Prof. Dr. Jan Borggrefe.