May 18, 2020 – Kyoto & Kobe, Japan – HACARUS, the leading provider of lightweight and explainable AI, today announced the start of joint research with Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Radiology (Kobe University) on MRI image analysis and diagnosis support for HCC Liver Cancer – the most common type of liver cancer, using HACARUS novel AI technology.

“As we continue to bring our marketing leading AI solutions into the medical field, I am excited to announce this joint research project, tackling a major health concern in Japan and the world – by combining Kobe University’s and HACARUS’ strengths we will create a truly compelling solution” said Kenshin Fujiwara, CEO and Founder, HACARUS.

In Japan some 25,000 people die of liver cancer each year, and it is the third leading cause of cancer death for men over 40 years old, after gastric cancer and colon cancer. The number of cases worldwide is also on the rise. While HCC can be detected early by MRI image diagnosis, a shortage of specialists possessing the required knowledge to interpret the scans means that the healthcare system is increasingly unable to meet a growing demand for diagnosis.

Against this background, HACARUS and Kobe University will conduct joint research aiming to remedy the situation with AI. The two parties will develop a solution which can:

(1) Detect risk areas in MRI images using AI trained by using supervised learning.

(2) Perform HCC disease type classification in risk areas.

(3) Create an accurate AI type classification and diagnosis support system.

About Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Radiology

Focused on the field of radiation diagnostics, the department is committed to quality education, clinical and research on various diagnostic imaging such as CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, and interventional radiology (IVR), as well as on image diagnosis using AI. Radiology is becoming increasingly important due to increases in sophistication and a shortage of personnel, and the department is committed to further the field of radiology in Japan and beyond.