Medical imaging

The valorisation domain targeted by this IOF program is medical imaging, a broad field that involves different imaging technologies such as RX, CT, MRI, PET/SPECT, US and optical imaging. Imaging research within KU Leuven is scattered over different groups that are clustered in a large consortium, situated at the Medical Imaging Research Centre (MIRC). Core members are ESAT/PSI, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Cardiology and Radiotherapy, but almost all departments of UZ Leuven collaborate via associate memberships. This program aims at supporting the research and valorization objectives of the different MIRC members by the initiation, coordination and organization of technology transfer, exploration of market potential and industrial needs, and the fine-tuning of R&D expertise with the needs of the medical imaging, biotech and pharma industry in Flanders and abroad. The program is evolving around 5 main pillars. Initial valorisation efforts centred primarily around 1) novel imaging technologies, contrast agents and tracers and 2) (pre)clinical imaging applications for diagnosis and prognosis of diseases, mainly within the context of the KU Leuven Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC). Later on, novel valorisation pillars were initiated relating to 3) m-health (or e-health), focussing on the development of personalised, mobile apps to support clinical e-studies in different domains such as fertility, obesitas and diabetes, and 4) mobile health-related virtual reality (VR) apps, a relatively novel imaging technology that is promising for visualisation of complex structures or to mimic real-life situations. Recently, another pillar was added: 5) medical imaging AI, building on the very promising initial research developments within the MIRC of data-driven deep learning approaches for automated image analysis, showing large potential for routine use in clinical practice in a variety of medical imaging applications.