Applying technology in healthcare vouchers
Steering into the Flow - Gamified spirometry for telemonitoring of children with asthma
Asthma is the most common chronic disease for Dutch children (280k). These children are at risk of a low quality of life. Modern technology allows real-time monitoring of lung function at home, enabling caregivers and healthcare providers to timely anticipate to worsening of asthma control. Previous research however revealed that the compliance and reliability of home-measured lung function measurements are suboptimal. This project aims to improve this with the aid of instructive gamified feedback through;
- behavioural steering using various responsive blowing metaphors,
- different forms of feedback based on rule-based artificial intelligence.
Dr.ir. Robby van Delden (UT), Mattienne van der Kamp (MST), Dr.ir. Alejandro Moreno (Saxion), Dr. Floor Sieverink (UT), Dr. Boony Thio (MST), Dr. Randy Klaassen (UT), Dr. M. Gorrrissen (DZ), René Stam (Game Lab Oost)
Go up in smoke!
Tobacco dependency is a complex, chronic disease. Successful treatment is possible, but more difficult for vulnerable groups, such as patients with psychiatric illness, low literacy or intellectual disabilities. They benefit from ‘doing’ rather than talking. Virtual reality (VR) offers an attractive opportunity to treat tobacco dependency in a save and personalized environment. We induce craving by introducing the participants to virtual risk situations, and concurrently measure their physiological reactions. Participants learns to reduce craving, by applying self-control techniques, and learn which, factors induce and reduce their cravings. Treatment of tobacco dependency thus becomes much more practical and fun!
Dr. Joanneke van der Nagel (UT/Tactus), Drs. Michiel Eijsvogel (MST), Dr. Randy Klaassen (UT), Drs. Sicco Smit (ZGT), Dr.ir. Dennis Reidsma (UT), Dr. Paul van der Valk (MST), Drs. M. Bevers (Tactus), Drs. R. Ploeger (ZGT), Jan Kolkmeier (UT), Drs. Robert van de Graaf (KNMG)
Is the chemo working? – Artificial intelligence for response evaluation of anti-tumor treatment
In breast, colon and lung cancer, the effect of anti-tumor treatment is evaluated based on changes of the tumor as visualized in CT scans or MRIs. With international validated assessment methods (RECIST1.1, iRECIST), the expansion/shrinkage of tumors during the course of the treatment is determined. The inter-observer variability of these (manual) assessments is large. The assessments themselves can be inaccurate tending to overtreatment. For the radiologists, these assessments are time-consuming. The goal of this project is to improve the accuracy and reproducibility of the evaluation of tumor treatment by exploiting automated pattern analysis and machine learning technology applied to CT-scans.
Dr. Alex Imholz (DZ), Dr.ir. Ferdi van der Heijden (UT), Dr. Rob van Dijk (DZ), Dr. Françoise Siepel (UT)
Tumor cell detection, isolation and analysis from lymphnodes for personalized therapy
The presence of micro-metastasis in lymph nodes has a large impact on the treatment of solid tumors. Within this proposal, the Puncher technology developed within the chair of MCBP of the University of Twente, will be applied for the detection of tumor cells in lymph nodes followed by the isolation of these cells for downstream DNA analysis.
By using this technology, the chance of detecting a tumor cell inside the lymph node increases as well as the presence of DNA mutations within these cells can be analyzed. This will help in selecting the most effective therapy, which will lead to a better treatment and better patient outcome.
Dr. Barry Kolenaar (MST), Prof.dr. Leon Terstappen (UT), Dr. Kiki Andree (UT)
Giant Cell Arteritis in sight; a comparison of ultrasound, PET-CT and MRI
Giant cell arteritis is a vasculitis occurring above the age of 50 potentially leading to disastrous complications such as blindness and CVAs. Temporal artery biopsy is the gold standard for diagnostics. However, this is insensitive, invasive, costly and leads to delays. Ultrasound, FDG-PET, MRI/MRA offer an alternative. With this pilot study we will compare these imaging techniques for the first time to improve diagnostics of GCA. Furthermore, with this collaboration we intend to improve imaging techniques. Due to little knowledge in this area, this study is warranted internationally to eventually reduce practice variation, improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
Dr. Celina Alves (ZGT), Dennis Boumans (ZGT), Dr. Edgar Colin (ZGT), Dr. Erik Groot Jebbink (UT), Dr. Erik Koffijberg (UT), Prof.dr. Riemer Slart (UT), Dr. Marloes Vermeer (ZGT), dr. Onno Vijlbrief (ZGT), Nils Wagenaar MD (ZGT), Jordy van Zandwijk, MSc (UT)
Wearable Breathing Trainer: measuring and coaching for children with dysfunctional breathing patterns
Respiratory disorders such as asthma and dysfunctional breathing (DB) are common in childhood. Exercise challenge tests can assess both the asthmatic and DB component of symptoms. However, exercise tests are hospital-based and expensive. Analysis of respiratory symptoms and assessment of efficacy of therapy in the home environment could provide the pediatrician and child an objective tool to acquire relevant data. This project will investigate how a ‘Wearable Breathing Trainer’ (WBT) can signal respiratory parameters, detect and analyze respiratory disorders and provide real-time feedback to the child. The WBT uses sensors and robotic textile and will be designed to support self-management.
Dr. ir. Geke Ludden (UT), Dr. Boony Thio (MST), Pascal Keijzer MSc (MST), Dr. Eliza Bottenberg (Saxion), Dr. Angelika Mader (UT), Dr. Jean Driessen (ZGT), Hellen van Rees MA (textile and fashion designer, Hellen van Rees)
Technological pioneering in healthcare vouchers
Magnetically-Actuated Deployable-Stent Catheter for Percutaneous Coronary Interventions
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world, and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions are commonly employed to treat this condition. The aim of this proposal is to improve the success rate of this procedure through the development of a novel catheter system capable of stent implantation using magnetic actuation. The proposed method will improve control over catheter steering, thereby reducing damage to blood vessels, and will decrease radiation exposure compared to prevalent fluoroscopic guiding techniques. Improved surgical efficiency and reduced hospitalization times will mean better utilization of medical resources and personnel, and superior quality of life for patients.
Dr. Venkatasubramanian Kalpathy Venkiteswaran (UT), Prof.dr. Jan Grandjean (MST), Prof.dr. Sarthak Misra (UT)
Does blood flow influence the outcome of endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair?
Enlargement of the large abdominal artery is treated by reinforcing it from the inside by means of a stent, thereby preventing further dilation. This approach shortens hospital stay and dramatically accelerates the return to normal daily activities. A potential drawback consists in occlusion of the stent, possibly resulting from blood flow disturbances induced by the arterial and stent geometry. This project will investigate the relation between stent shape, blood flow disturbances and stent occlusion using the latest, ultrasound based, blood flow visualization techniques and actual patient clinical data. The results will improve stent design and patient outcome.
Dr. Erik Groot Jebbink (UT), Jaimy Simmering (MST), Dr. Guillaume Lajoinie (UT), Prof.dr. R. Geelkerken (MST)
PneuARMM: pneumatically actuated robot for minimally invasive MRI guided interventions
Lung cancer is the most fatal neoplasm among adult population. Proper diagnostic and therapeutic technologies with lower costs, less side effects and higher accuracy, are key to a successful treatment. MRI/CT-compatible surgical-assistive robots are one of promising advancements in this regard. However the application of the technology in thorax interventions has been limited. PneuARMM is an initiative of UT-SRL, MST and PneuRobotics company to develop the platform required for safe, affordable, MRI-compatible, robotically assisted minimally invasive pulmonary interventions. The knowledge from PneuAct, MIRIAM and RICIBION projects will be directly utilized to develop a patient-mounted, pneumatically-actuated, parametrically-designed, multi-modality compatible and disposable surgical apparatus.
Prof. Sarthak Misra (UT), Dr. Dick Gerrits (MST), Foad Sojoodi Farimani (UT)
M4Fat; Fat Metabolism Monitor and Motion Motivator
Worldwide the prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically. Currently more people die of obesity than malnutrition. In the Netherlands half of the adult population has overweight and 13,9% suffers from obesity. Frequently obesity starts in childhood: 90% of the obese kids grow to be obese adults. Sustained reactivation is key for the treatment of childhood obesity but frustrated by relapse. The relation between exercise and fat metabolism is inter- en intra-individually highly variable. There is a need for a sensoring tool that can provide real-time feedback on the balance between metabolism and exercise intensity, sustaining physical reactivation.
Dr. Frits Oosterveld (Saxion), Dr. Boony Thio (MST), Maureen Gortemaker (Kinderfysioteam Enschede), Dr. Cas Damen (Saxion), Ir. Karin van Beurden (Saxion), Dr. Remko Soer (Saxion), Ir. Albert van Gool (MetaSenze)