MED TECH
In pathology , ROSE stands for rapid on-site evaluation , a common procedure where pathologists verify whether a biopsy sample contains adequate cells for processing and
“ This is what the operating room of the future looks like . It ’ s a mix of technology , which is easily interfaceable , miniaturized , combined with a software platform that enables real-time processing of information and display in a readable , easy visualized format .”
LAURA MARCU Professor of biomedical engineering and neurological surgery at UC Davis diagnosis . But the R in ROSE can be misleading .
The procedure itself might take only a few minutes . A doctor inserts a needle into a tumor of the patient , aspirates the needle and squirts the specimen onto a slide . Then a pathologist smears the sample using another glass slide , applies color dyes ( or stains ) to it and studies the cells under a microscope . But the tissue sample might not be adequate enough to evaluate anything .
“ The problem is the short supply of pathologists who can perform ROSE ,” says Dr . Alejandro S . Mendoza , founder and CEO of Davis-based medtech startup , AmCyt . “ If inadequate samples are submitted , patients have to come back for a repeat procedure .”
These repeat visits waste precious time , Mendoza says , not only for patients , but also for pathologists like himself , who typically have to travel to a different site to perform this procedure again and again . But a few years ago , Mendoza had a thought : Why can ’ t robots do ROSE ?
For decades , the question of whether robots will replace doctors has been looming . Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla believes this could happen by 2035 . The usual argument against this prediction highlights the invaluable human trait of empathy . Still , as medical technology keeps advancing , one thing is clear : AI-controlled machines are just as good , if not better , than humans at certain medical tasks , such as detecting high-risk cancer lesions in mammograms or examining retinal images of patients with diabetes . Robots may not possess empathy , but they provide precision , consistency , speed and accuracy that ’ s hard for even the most highly trained health professionals to replicate .
The Capital Region has a storied history in this arena . Back in 1992 in Davis , Robodoc became the first robotic system cleared by the FDA to begin clinical trials for surgeries ( see sidebar ). Forty years later , robotics — with the help of optical imaging tools and sensors — continues to evolve . This summer , UC Davis received a $ 6.3 million grant to support a new center coming to Aggie
Square designed to bolster medtech startups and bring AI-informed optical imaging technologies to the medical mainstream .
Mendoza launched AmCyt in 2019 to develop a device called eROSE , which processes and captures live images of tissue samples automatically in two minutes or less . But he understands that , like with any medical device , proving its value isn ’ t a quick process .
“ If you have a medical device , it ’ s always a challenge bringing the product to market ,” Mendoza says . “ It involves a lot of customer engagement and interviews . Who will buy this ? Who will need this ?”
Learning curve
With eROSE , a pathologist can receive the live scan for real-time assessment online without ever leaving the office . If the sample isn ’ t adequate , the patient can have it redone immediately instead of having to come back later to try again . This ROSE-in-a-box machine would save time and save hospitals about $ 400,000 a year , Mendoza estimates , by cutting down the sampling error in fine needle aspiration biopsies . AmCyt plans to have a commercial product ready for the public by 2025 .
“ I don ’ t think robotics will replace the work of doctors ,” Mendoza says . “ It enhances their work . In general , in medicine , I believe robotics is promising to improve workflow .”
Just because robots can work automatically doesn ’ t mean they work alone . They assist medical professionals in the field , making their jobs easier through data collection and assessments via technology . Optical instruments , for instance , allow robots to touch and sense and see things to help surgeons make more informed decisions , according to Laura Marcu , professor of biomedical engineering and neurological surgery at UC Davis .
PHOTO BY WAYNE TILCOCK ; COURTESY OF UC DAVIS
48 comstocksmag . com | September 2022