Embedding Advanced AI in Diagnostic Imaging
Case Study
Client
3DR Labs, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is a leading provider of 3D medical image post-processing services in the United States. Renowned for its 24/7/365 access to over 200 experienced radiologic technologists, 3DR Labs specializes in advanced 3D post-processing techniques, AI technology partnerships, and a dedicated cardiac center of excellence. The company is committed to revolutionizing medical imaging through high-quality, innovative solutions that improve patient care and outcomes.
Business Goals
The partnership between SOLTECH and 3DR Labs focuses on accelerating software development to the next generation to maintain competitiveness in the medical imaging market. Aiming to foster innovation through advanced technology integration, the collaboration seeks to strengthen 3DR Labs’ market position and customer satisfaction. These strategic efforts are directed toward ensuring long-term success and innovation in the industry.
As part of this modernization initiative, 3DR Labs aimed to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) directly into its imaging workflows to improve stability, speed, and diagnostic precision, transforming AI from a back-office concept into a core operational enabler.
Business Challenge
Despite its pioneering efforts and advancements in the field of medical imaging, 3DR Labs identified a critical bottleneck that could potentially hinder its mission to revolutionize radiology practices across the country. The challenge was multi-faceted:
Software Development Processes: 3DR Labs had developed several software solutions internally to support its imaging services. However, the company recognized the need for these software pieces to evolve beyond their current capabilities to keep pace with the rapidly advancing radiology market and emerging medical imaging technologies.
Next-Generation Software Requirements: The internal development team at 3DR Labs had reached a point where external expertise was necessary to scale their software solutions to the next generation. This included enhancing the software’s functionality, improving user experience, and embedding advanced AI capabilities to optimize diagnostic processes and reduce manual workloads.
Workflow Efficiency and Technology Expansion: To meet the growing demand for its specialized imaging services and maintain its leadership position, 3DR Labs needed to expand its technological capabilities. This expansion was not limited to software development. It also encompassed the broader objective of enhancing its overall service offerings to radiology departments, necessitating a strategic partnership with a technology provider well-versed in the latest software development methodologies and AI innovations that included automating repeatable, well-understood imaging tasks while allowing technologists to focus on more complex studies.
3DR Labs faced a bottleneck in revolutionizing radiology due to outdated software and a lack of AI capabilities, necessitating external expertise to stay competitive in the fast-evolving medical imaging market.
“What SOLTECH does best is listen to our needs and expectations. They understand what we’re trying to accomplish. SOLTECH isn’t just a development team or a contracted third party — we have a true partnership. Working with them is seamless…”
– Director of IT, 3DR Labs
Solution
In addressing these challenges, 3DR Labs sought a partnership with SOLTECH, a leader in custom software development and technology consulting renowned for its expertise in accelerating digital transformation through innovative solutions.
The collaboration aimed to leverage SOLTECH’s comprehensive software development services, from requirements gathering to deployment, to ensure that 3DR Labs’ internal software projects were elevated to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry.
The partnership focused on SOLTECH’s capabilities in AI and machine learning (ML), to integrate cutting-edge technologies into 3DR Labs’ imaging services.
Together, the teams designed and implemented an AI-augmented medical imaging workflow leveraging convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and post-processing AI models. The solution automatically classified incoming medical images and routed them through AI models trained to perform enhancement and analysis tasks. These results were then validated by human experts, ensuring accuracy and compliance with radiological standards. This AI-human workflow delivered faster turnaround times, reduced manual workloads, and enabled engineers to dedicate more time to complex cases requiring human expertise.
Project Highlights
- Overcoming Development Challenges: SOLTECH helped modernize and expand 3DR Labs’ internal software platforms, removing bottlenecks, and improving integration between AI and existing systems.
- AI-Driven Workflow Integration: Leveraged machine learning models to automate image classification, routing, and enhancement, expediting common study types while maintaining diagnostic quality.
- Human-AI Collaboration: AI handled repeatable post-processing work, while technologists reviewed and refined results, achieving both efficiency and precision.
- Market Expansion through Technology: Leveraging SOLTECH’s innovations allowed 3DR Labs to expand its tech capabilities and service offerings, strengthening their leadership in the healthcare sector.
- Operational Efficiency: Automation reduced turnaround time for image processing, allowing faster delivery of enhanced imagery to physicians and improved patient care.
Impact
The partnership significantly reduced development timeframes, allowing for quicker production and response to market demands, showcasing a notable increase in efficiency and productivity.
AI-enabled automation not only improved the speed and consistency of image processing but also empowered 3DR Labs’ technologists to focus on higher-value diagnostic work. This blend of human expertise and AI efficiency enhanced operational throughput, reduced costs, and improved the overall patient experience.
SOLTECH exceeded expectations with their outstanding quality of work, reinforcing 3DR Labs’ leadership in the medical imaging sector and contributing to its mission of revolutionizing radiology practices.
