AI-powered ultrasound to revolutionize liver care
Segmentation and guidance for liver disease ultrasound assessments
PROJECT METRICS
The Challenge
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by fatty deposits in the liver without excessive alcohol use or other liver diseases. With a prevalence of 20–30% worldwide, hundreds of millions of people are afflicted. Although inflammation associated with early liver fibrosis is reversible, fibrosis can develop into irreversible cirrhosis, a hardening of the liver compromising overall function, if left untreated. A quarter of the population with MASLD is projected to have metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), where liver inflammation leads to liver damage and fibrosis, and an increased risk of cardiovascular-related deaths. MASH is expected to become the most common condition for liver transplantation in the next two decades. Consequently, early detection and management of this condition are critical in ensuring optimal general population health as well as a reduced healthcare burden.
The Solution – INOVAIT Project
As the prevalence of MASLD and MASH continues to rise globally, there is a pressing need for accessible, repeatable, and accurate tools to monitor disease progression and response to treatment. Sonic Incytes’ Velacur technology directly addresses this need by enabling non-invasive, point-of-care liver assessments that rival the precision of more complex imaging modalities. With the INOVAIT Pilot Fund, Sonic Incytes enhanced Velacur with AI capabilities that automatically recognize and segment the liver in ultrasound images and assess scan quality—an essential step in ensuring diagnostic reliability. Through their Focus Fund project, Sonic Incytes has advanced this innovation further by developing an AI-powered graphical user interface that guides clinicians in real-time to reposition the ultrasound probe when image quality is compromised. This evolution transforms Velacur into a powerful monitoring tool, ensuring that liver stiffness and fat content measurements used to track MASLD and MASH are both accurate and consistent, regardless of operator experience. This capability will be critical in evaluating treatment efficacy, supporting early intervention, and reducing long-term complications associated with these progressive liver diseases.
Funding Type: fonds Focus
Year of Funding: 2022
INOVAIT Funding Amount: $1,188,295.66
Total Project Funding Amount: $3,564,887.00
Sonic Incytes
Sonic Incytes founded in 2017 and headquartered in Vancouver, is a medtech company committed to transforming liver health assessment. Their flagship product, Velacur, is a portable, point-of-care ultrasound solution that quantifies liver stiffness and attenuation using AI-guided 3D Shear Wave Absolute Vibro-Elastography (S-WAVE) technology. This approach offers diagnostic accuracy comparable to MRI elastography, enabling clinicians to assess liver health in real-time during routine office visits. Sonic Incytes' mission is to make liver health a new vital sign and reduce the global burden of chronic liver disease.
"Leadership Quote"
Barry Allen
CEO
Sonic Incytes