[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyung-il ]FutureChem Co., Ltd.(220100), a company specializing in radiopharmaceuticals, announced on the 25th that it has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Brightonics Imaging, a company specializing in medical imaging equipment and artificial intelligence (AI) software, to develop and globally commercialize a quantitative diagnostic solution using positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) for degenerative brain diseases.

The core of this agreement is to integrate quantitative analysis functions—specifically tailored for PET-CT images of FutureChem Co., Ltd.’s “Alzavue” (a radiopharmaceutical for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease) and “PDVUE” (a radiopharmaceutical for diagnosing Parkinson’s disease)—into Brightonics Imaging’s medical AI image analysis software, “BTXBrain.” The two companies plan to develop a solution that integrates radiopharmaceuticals with AI image analysis technology to provide objective, quantitative information for the diagnosis of degenerative brain diseases.

Brightonics Imaging is a medical imaging company that has independently developed medical PET equipment and AI-based image analysis software. It offers “PHAROS,” a high-resolution digital PET scanner specialized for imaging organs such as the brain, and “BTXBrain,” software that automatically performs quantitative analysis of brain PET images to support medical professionals’ diagnostic and treatment decisions.

Currently, PET scans for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease require a waiting period of approximately 30–90 minutes after the administration of a radiopharmaceutical, until the drug has sufficiently distributed throughout the brain. Since a significant portion of the patient population consists of elderly individuals who find it difficult to wait for such extended periods, and due to limited hospital equipment and staff, there is a continuously growing demand for technologies that can improve the efficiency of scan operations.

Furthermore, existing PET images are often evaluated primarily through visual interpretation by medical staff, which can lead to variations in interpretation depending on image quality, the patient’s condition, and the reader’s experience. Consequently, there is a growing need for quantitative analysis technology that can quantify the extent of radiopharmaceutical uptake related to the disease and provide medical staff with standardized analysis criteria.

The two companies plan to integrate quantitative analysis technologies specialized for Alzavue and PDView into “BTXBrain” to standardize the PET image analysis and interpretation process. Through this, they aim to reduce the time required for image analysis, support medical professionals’ diagnostic decision-making, and establish a “total solution for the diagnosis of degenerative brain diseases” that enhances the efficiency of examinations and interpretations at medical institutions.

Specifically, for AlzView PET images, they plan to automatically implement the “Centiloid Index,” which represents the degree of beta-amyloid accumulation in the brain as a standardized numerical value; for PDView PET images, they plan to automatically implement functions that quantitatively analyze the distribution of dopamine transporters and FP-CIT in the striatum. This is expected to compensate for the limitations of existing visual interpretation and reduce discrepancies in interpretation among medical professionals, thereby enhancing the objectivity and consistency of diagnoses for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The Centiloid Index is an internationally recognized unit that standardizes the amount of amyloid protein—the substance responsible for Alzheimer’s dementia—accumulated in the brain on a scale from 0 to 100 points.

Ji Dae-yoon, CEO of FutureChem Co., Ltd., stated, “This collaboration is significant in that it will develop quantitative analysis capabilities specialized for AlzView and PDView PET images, providing medical professionals with more objective and consistent interpretation data.” He added, “Together with Brightonics Imaging, we will build a competitive diagnostic solution for degenerative brain diseases by combining radiopharmaceuticals with AI image analysis technology and expand our presence in the global market.”