TMU Healthcare System Develops Outstanding Innovative Medical Devices, Advancing AI Healthcare

At the end of 2023, a total of seven teams from the Taipei Medical University (TMU) Healthcare System were honored at the 20th National Innovation Awards.

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▓ Taipei Medical University Hospital

• “Personalized 4D AI prediction of elderly health and dementia multi-module platform” – Dr. Chen Cheng-Yu’s team from the Department of Medical Imaging

The team has developed a DeepBrain Cognito prediction module aimed at enhancing brain health and understanding dementia. Utilizing images from a single MRI scan, the module constructs aging trajectories for the brain, enabling predictions regarding areas of the cerebral cortex prone to atrophy, dementia scores, and symptom phenotypes. This innovative approach offers a valuable risk prediction model for understanding the brain’s aging processes, particularly among sub-healthy groups.

• “Knee cruciate ligament reconstruction through the integration of paired hoops with digital simulation surgical guidance” – Dr. Hsien-Tsung Lu’s team from the Department of Orthopedics Surgery

To mitigate risks to surgeons during cruciate ligament reconstructions, our team introduced a paired loop design for Fiberwire. Additionally, utilizing DICOM CT scan data, we engineered a 3D printed surgical guide. This innovation provides precise bone tunnel guidance and cortical bone hook adjustment, ensuring optimal alignment. These advancements enhance surgical safety and execution in multi-ligament reconstruction procedures.

• “A multi-data physiological monitoring device for identifying patients’ breathing patterns and the causes of asthma” – Dr. Pai-Chien Chou’s team from the Division of Thoracic Medicine and the Office of Business Development

The team has developed a wearable device utilizing patented technology, incorporating components such as strain gauges, respiratory sound pickup microphones, three-way gyroscopes, and accelerometers. This device efficiently collects various respiratory physiological data and conducts real-time analysis. During monitoring, it continuously evaluates changes in the patient’s condition, assesses event criticality, issues timely warnings, and aids medical staff in making accurate diagnoses and treatment decisions.

▓ Wanfang Hospital

• “Novel sliding headless screws” – Dr. Yu-Pin Chen’s team from the Department of Orthopedics

The team has developed a product with an innovative design featuring two-stop internal and external screws. These screws incorporate a grooved tenon design with a special pitch density difference, addressing the limitations of existing pressurized bone screws. The engineered tenons concentrate force on the femoral head, mitigating issues such as bone screw penetration and withdrawal, thereby enhancing the healing process for femoral neck fractures.

▓ Shuang Ho Hospital

• “Precise digital renal function trajectory prediction and tracking care system” – TMU President Mai-Szu Wu’s team from the Division of Nephrology

The team developed and integrated the “Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Electronic Warning System” and “Acute Kidney Disease (AKD) Tracking System”. They used algorithms for comparative analysis with historical databases, and implemented a dashboard interface to visually map the distribution of patients across different stages of kidney disease. This facilitates clinical staff to swiftly and precisely diagnose and track the disease, thus enabling a comprehensive analysis of the progression of kidney diseases.

• “A detector for unpredictable bombs in the brain: An AI model for brain aneurysm identification and detection” – Dr. David Yen-Ting Chen’s team from the Department of Medical Imaging

Expanding on the high-volume imaging project by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the team has created an MRI brain aneurysm imaging database comprising data from over 1,400 cases. Additionally, they have developed an AI-based diagnosis-facilitating platform for brain aneurysms. This platform enhances physicians’ capability to detect brain aneurysms, achieving a sensitivity of 96.7% and thereby improving diagnostic efficacy.

• “A Cloud AI computing wearable devices for constructing an AI-based prevention and treatment model for subclinical cardiac side effects of COVID-19 vaccines” – Vice Director Ju-Chi Liu’s team from the Division of Cardiology

The team has developed a wearable, multifunctional AI-based cardiovascular detection device that utilizes patient feedback data gathered from home measurements. This system offers both monitoring and warning functions, facilitating early identification of groups at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease post-vaccination. When integrated into clinical care, it aids in treatment and contributes to reducing hospitalization rates, mortality rates, and healthcare costs.