Yoshihiro Takahashi

Thyroid cancer continues to increase, but differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid cancers using ultrasound requires expertise, and in areas without specialists, non-specialists often struggle to make a judgment and are forced to rely on “referrals just in case.” In this project, we will develop a subscription-based diagnostic support service for local clinics and small to medium-sized hospitals by utilizing image diagnostic support technology that allows AI to display the location and benign/malignant status of nodules in seconds simply by taking an ultrasound monitor with a smartphone. This will eliminate the need for expensive ultrasound equipment upgrades and hospital system connections that are prerequisites for existing diagnostic support AI, enabling the provision of a “specialist’s eye” that can be implemented with existing equipment and a single smartphone. We will challenge ourselves to commercialize this service with the aim of reducing unnecessary examinations and referrals to distant facilities, and realizing a society where high-quality thyroid care is available no matter where you live.