Feedback plc previously announced on 13 April 2015 that it had signed a research agreement with the Oxford Stone Group at the University of Oxford & Oxford University Hospital NHS Trust, UK to investigate the potential future clinical application of Feedback’s TexRAD texture analysis software on computed tomography (CT) image data of patients with kidney stones.
The preliminary results from a 38 patient retrospective study so far are promising. Researchers at Oxford have demonstrated that TexRAD texture analysis could identify from pre-treatment CT scans which patients would have “successful” shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) therapy from those who would have “unsuccessful” therapy.
The research was led by Mr Ben Turney (Bernard Senior Clinical Researcher in Urology at the University of Oxford and Honorary Consultant Urological Surgeon) and carried out by Mr Daniel Stevens (Academic Clinical fellow in Urology at the University of Oxford).
Mr Ben Turney, a leading authority on stone disease in the UK, commented: “Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) is a well-established non-invasive surgical procedure for urolithiasis. However around 30-40% of patients do not achieve stone clearance and proceed to alternative treatments. We have demonstrated in this first preliminary study that TexRAD CT textural analysis appears to be an independent novel predictive biomarker for SWL success. TexRAD CT texture analysis may be a useful tool for risk-stratification and more accurately triaging those patients who will benefit from SWL. The next step is to undertake a prospective study to ascertain the clinical utility of this finding in a large population. Additionally, we shall explore other research questions such as assessing the stone composition and differentiate between actual stones and those conditions that mimic stone-like characteristics to increase diagnostic confidence and prevent unnecessary costly investigation and treatments.”
Dr. Balaji Ganeshan, Chief Scientist & New Business Officer of the Company’s subsidiaries TexRAD Ltd & Cambridge Computed Imaging Ltd commented: “We are delighted with the positive results from the preliminary study within a few weeks of signing the research agreement with Mr Ben Turney and the team at Oxford. This is very encouraging news and provides an opportunity for Feedback Plc to develop a TexRAD based kidney stone software product dedicated to the management of kidney stone patients.”
Mr Ben Turney and team have further submitted their preliminary results as an abstract for a possible presentation to the Challenges in Endourology meeting (http://www.challenges-endourology.com) in Paris in June 2015.
For further information contact:
Feedback plc
Tel: 01954 718072
Simon Barrell / Trevor Brown / Tom Charlton
Sanlam Securities UK (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)
Tel: 020 7628 2200
Simon Clements / Virginia Bull
Peterhouse Corporate Finance Ltd (Joint Broker)
Tel: 020 7469 0936
Lucy Williams / Duncan Vasey