The platform will address organ segmentation challenges in radiation oncology

Varian has announced it’s collaborating with Google Cloud to develop an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-based diagnostic platform for cancer patients. 

Often viewed as a crucial and laborious step, organ segmentation in radiation oncology can constrict treatment workflow. 

The Varian-Google partnership intends to address this problem by using neural architecture search (NAS) technology via the Google Cloud AI Platform to determine which organs and tissues in diagnostic images must be targeted or protected during a course of radiation therapy.

Additionally, Varian will leverage Google’s NAS technology to create an AI segmentation engine that generates customized auto-segmentation models for the body’s organs. Medical professionals can use the segmented images to design treatment plans that detail where and how much radiation they’ll deposit during treatment. 

“At Varian, we are working towards a world without fear of cancer, where high-quality cancer care—personalized and optimized for each patient—is available everywhere,” said Corey Zankowski, senior vice president of technology and innovation office at Varian.