We begin this week’s HealthTech of the Week with a feature on Team Prometheus, the creators of groundbreaking tools like Ultra Echo Scan (UES) and Ultra Pregna Scan (UPS). These are not just innovative software solutions but the foundation of a revolution with the potential to enhance the quality of medical diagnostics worldwide. What inspired their creation, what challenges were faced, and what sets these tools apart?

 

Inspiration and the Birth of Innovation

The foundation of Ultra Pregna Scan and Ultra Echo Scan lies in Team Prometheus’s fascination with cutting-edge technologies and their practical applications. The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in pattern recognition and image analysis inspired the team to develop tools that could radically improve early detection of congenital heart defects (CHD).

– It all started with our fascination with new technologies and their ability to enhance processes that were previously beyond the reach of modern tools – said Wiktor Strzelczyk, CEO UES Sp. z o.o. – A key motivator was understanding the scale of the problem: in Poland, ten children are born every day with congenital heart defects, and half of these cases are diagnosed only after birth. Early diagnosis is crucial to give these children a chance at a healthy life and provide families the opportunity to prepare for treatment.

Press Release

Challenges in Developing Artificial Intelligence

Creating the complex algorithms powering UES and UPS required overcoming numerous hurdles. A key challenge was assembling an interdisciplinary team combining expertise in AI, machine learning, and medicine. It took six months to build the team, followed by over 300 hours of joint consultations between AI specialists and medical professionals to design AI models tailored to the clinical specifics of heart defects.

This collaboration enabled AI experts to train their systems to identify heart structures in ultrasound images with precision comparable to that of medical experts. Meanwhile, doctors gained new perspectives on image analysis and classification.

UES and UPS are designed not to replace doctors but to assist them, particularly in the field of screening. These tools help identify patients requiring further specialized diagnostics with 96% accuracy. Currently, pulse oximetry testing for newborns has only a 70% success rate in detecting certain heart defects and often produces false positives. UES can significantly improve these statistics by providing tools capable of analyzing the full spectrum of heart defects.

A cornerstone of Prometheus’s mission is the scalability of their software. Designed as a SaaS (Software as a Service) model, their tools can be rapidly implemented in medical facilities worldwide. This architecture ensures that the software can be effectively utilized in both small clinics and large hospitals.

The Prometheus team emphasizes that their AI is not a replacement for specialists but a complementary tool—a „second set of eyes” to highlight key diagnostic elements and direct the expert’s attention to the right areas. Their system enables comprehensive fetal and neonatal screenings, facilitating the early identification of potential issues and directing patients to specialists already pre-diagnosed.

One example of AI’s practical application in medicine is the InteliCardio Project, a collaboration with the Children’s Heart Foundation. This initiative demonstrates how technology can serve as a powerful tool in the hands of doctors rather than a competitor.

Victory at the Third Mother and Child Startup Challenge

Winning the third edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge, organized by the Institute of Mother and Child, is a significant milestone for Prometheus. The competition provided an opportunity not only to showcase their technology but also to validate its practical value and implementation potential in front of a jury of medical professionals.

The organizers supported participants with workshops, webinars, and consultations, fostering not just competition but also knowledge sharing and collaboration.

The Prometheus team acknowledges that all the showcased projects demonstrated the innovative strides shaping the future of healthcare. For them, this victory is not only a milestone but also a motivation to continue innovating and a chance to strengthen partnerships with medical stakeholders and the innovation community.

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Ambitious Plans for the Future

While Prometheus’s technology was initially designed for detecting congenital heart defects, their ambitions extend far beyond this scope. Their 11-person AI team, with four years of experience in medical image analysis, has the potential to expand diagnostics to other conditions.

– We believe the future of medical diagnostics lies in the synergy between artificial intelligence and specialized medical knowledge. Our current achievements are just the beginning—we’re ready to tackle new challenges and introduce innovations that will transform medicine – says Wiktor Strzelczyk, CEO UES Sp. z o.o..

The team emphasizes that building trust in AI requires collaboration at multiple levels—from engineers and researchers to doctors and patients. Only through joint efforts can they create technology that not only meets but exceeds expectations and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.

– We take pride in what we’ve achieved so far, but we know the biggest challenges are still ahead. Every step forward is a testament to AI’s potential to become a cornerstone of precision, accessible, and trustworthy medicine – he conclude.

Stay tuned for more in the “Health Tech of the Week” series, where we’ll continue to uncover fascinating stories from the world of medical technologies that are changing the face of healthcare. If you’re working on an innovative project in the field of new technologies and medicine or want to recommend an interesting solution, contact us at: [email protected].