CALOPUS - Computer Assisted LOw-cost Point-of-care UltraSound

CALOPUS项目是英国和印度的一个跨学科合作项目，旨在使产前超声图像分析自动化，以促进在农村地区转介到适当水平的妊娠护理，这是许多低收入国家未满足的重要需求。与西方世界不同，许多印度妇女在妊娠的前三个月或中期没有进行产前超声检查扫描。如果没有这样的检查，胎儿和母亲的健康问题可能会被忽视，在最坏的情况下，导致死产或早产。印度是世界上死产和早产数量最多的国家（《柳叶刀》2015年，2012年）。因此，推动这项工作的最终临床目的是减轻不良妊娠事件的负担，改善后代的健康。我们采用的方法是使用一种低成本的便携式成像技术，超声成像，作为一种新型护理点（POC）系统的基础，该系统使具有有限或没有超声知识的医护人员能够将患者转介到临床单位或医院。超声扫描通常需要技术来获取图像，这是使用的障碍。我们的想法是将超声视频的捕获与机器学习（深度学习）相结合，自动解读超声视频的内容，并向非专业用户推荐。这个项目探讨了我们如何做到这一点，同时也将探讨我们如何使技术解决方案在文化上被接受，并在预期的临床环境中可用。除了主要的科学努力之外，一个重要的次要目标将是印度伙伴团队在护理点成像方面的能力建设，以及在卫生（特别是与卫生保健技术需求和采用有关的因素）方面对英国调查人员进行反指导，以及在中低收入国家发挥作用的研究和文化问题。这种交叉对话将加强国际团队，建立相互尊重和互补的专业知识。

The CALOPUS project is an inter-disciplinary UK-India collaboration that aims to automate the analysis of antenatal ultrasound images to facilitate referral to the appropriate level of pregnancy care in rural settings, an important unmet need in many LMICs. Unlike in the western world, many women in India do not have an antenatal ultrasound check-up scan in the first or second trimester. Without such a check-up, health problems of the fetus and mother can go unnoticed, leading, in the worst case, to a still-birth or preterm birth. India has the highest number of still births and preterm births in the world (Lancet 2O15, 2012). Thus the ultimate clinical aim motivating this work is to reduce the burden of adverse pregnancy events and improve the health of future generations. The approach we are taking is to use a low-cost portable imaging technology, ultrasound imaging, as the basis for a novel point-of-care (POC) system that enables a healthcare worker, with limited or no knowledge of ultrasound, to refer a patient to a clinical unit or hospital. Ultrasound scanning normally requires skill to acquire images which is a barrier to use. Our idea is to combine capture of ultrasound videos with machine learning (deep learning) to automatically interpret the content of the ultrasound videos and make the recommendation to the non-expert user. This project explores how we can do this, and will look, as well, at how we can make the technological solution culturally acceptable, and usable in the intended clinical environment. In addition to the primary scientific endeavour, an important secondary objective will be capacity-building in point-of-care imaging in the India partner team and counter-mentoring of UK investigators in health (particularly in factors related to healthcare technology needs and adoption), and research and cultural issues that are at play in LMICs. This cross-dialogue will strengthen the international team and build mutual respect and complementary expertise.