GlobalDiagnostiX

According to the WHO, 2/3 people in the world do not have access to medical X-ray imaging technology. This means that people die from complications that could have been prevented with radiological tests to guide treatment. To help address this, we developed an all-in-one X-ray imaging system capable of bringing radiology technology to virtually any context.

The challenge: Imaging technology is unavailable or fails in low-income contexts

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa and elsewhere, lack of access to medical X-rays and other imaging tools can be attributed to a mismatch between existing technologies and the local context:

• Lack of financial resources:
  
  o Radiology equipment is costly
  
  o Upkeep represents a high cost of ownership
  
  o Consumables (such as X-ray film) are needed to use equipment
  
  
• Lack of quality infrastructure:
  
  o Poor supply chain makes it difficult to access consumables and spare parts
  
  o Poor power supply has a particularly high impact: up to 1/3 of equipment failures result from power surges, and low supply or outages may make it simply impossible to run equipment at all
  
  
• Lack of trained personnel:
  
  o Trained personnel, such as medical radiology technologists, are needed to properly operate highly sophisticated and complex equipment
  
  o A severe shortage of radiologists in low-income and rural settings impacts the ability to read results
  
  o Trained personnel are also needed to maintain and repair equipment
  
  
• Harsh climate:
  
  o X-ray equipment that is built for high-income contexts does not withstand heat, humidity and dust often present in LMICs

Our Adapted Solution: A robust, all-in-one digital X-ray imaging system

Through the GlobalDiagnostiX project, we worked in partnership with local actors to develop a digital, ultra-robust, and affordable medical X-ray system adapted to the needs and constraints of low- and middle-income countries. The solution:

• Is extremely robust to withstand heat, humidity and dusty environments
  
• Uses less power than traditional systems and manages power outages and strong fluctuations
  
• Is designed as all-in-one system to be easy and safe to operate even with minimal training
  
• Requires minimum maintenance and – as it is fully digital – no consumables
  
• Enables teleradiology for centralized expert diagnostic interpretation where radiologists are not available locally
  
• Is affordable, with an overall low cost of ownership, including purchasing, operating, maintenance and repairs for the entire product lifecycle

Project status

The GlobalDiagnostiX medical X-ray solution is being commercialized and deployed by Pristem SA and Opendiagnostics South Africa,

Find out more on Pristem and OpendiagnostiX websites

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For more information, please contact Klaus Schönenberger or Solomzi Makohliso

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_{Credits Main Image: HES-SO / Guillaume Perret}