Neurophet said it presented the research results on brain image analysis technology and brain disease prediction method using artificial intelligence (AI) during the International Congress on Magnetic Resonance Imaging 2022 (ICMRI 2022) in Seoul last week.

During the conference, the company presented two research abstracts on a method for predicting cognitive dysfunction using AI technology.

According to the company, with the global aging population increasing and the awareness of dementia and cognitive dysfunction rising, physicians are looking for various ways to communicate brain health status to patients effectively.

"Since brain-related terms are somewhat difficult for patients to understand, physicians are providing patients with a brain age figure that combines cognitive ability and brain image data analysis results," the company said. "However, brain age, which is commonly used by medical staff, does not provide information on the likelihood of cognitive dysfunction occurring before dementia progresses."

Such a reason is why the company has devised a method that provides a probabilistic measure of a patient's cognitive impairment based on brain age, it added.

Also, using the results of AI analysis of MRI and PET (positron emission tomography) images, the company developed a probabilistic predictive model that can detect cognitive decline within three years.

The model reaches a conclusion by calculating volume information for each brain region, white matter hyperintensities, amyloid beta protein, and standardized uptake value ratio for the reduction of brain nerve cell metabolism.

Based on these research results, Neurophet is carrying out the ATNV project to find the types and stages of dementia by quantifying Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration, and vascular neuropathology with AI image analysis technology.

"Neurophet disclosed various research achievements such as prediction of dementia prognosis, staging, and analysis that it is researching through ICMRI," Neurophet CEO Been Jun-kil said. "We will continue R&D and technological advancement so that we can create products that can provide practical help to patients with brain diseases in the medical field."