Case Western Reserve University partners with Microsoft in new quantum computing health project

In a recent blog, Microsoft’s Quantum division has announced its partnership with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) to further improve patient care.

Harnessing Microsoft’s quantum computing capabilities. CWRU will work to further develop existing ways to detect and diagnose cancerous tumours.

Radiology Professor Mark Griswold and his team will work with experts at Microsoft Quantum throughout the project, Cleveland Business has reported.  

Working on revolutionising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the University has developed magnetic resonance fingerprinting.

“Where typical MRI machines use a series of fixed acquisitions to establish a diagnosis, magnetic resonance fingerprinting uses a constantly varying sequence of pulses, resulting in a single, unified exam,” explained Todd Holmdahl, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Quantum.

“The final quantitative maps are generated by comparing the response against a lookup table, resulting in a more rapid and repeatable characterisation of tissues.”

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Producing higher-quality imaging capabilities, the approach houses a multitude of advantages over traditional MRI tools.  Through the partnership, Microsoft will support CWRU’s aim to utilise quantum-inspired algorithms, which will lead to a quicker, more accurate diagnosis of diseases such as cancer, and in turn, provide positive patient experiences.

“Once the scan is complete, Microsoft HoloLens will be used for a 3D, holographic model of the results,” Holmdahl added.

“We see incredible possibilities to not only improve the quality of healthcare and medical research, but also demonstrate how quantum computing, machine learning, and mixed reality can be combined to turn challenges of the past into solutions of the future.”

"We are thrilled to partner with Microsoft again on another project that expands our understanding of what technology can make possible," commented Griswold.

"Quantum computing provides an opportunity to find the truly best way to scan patients. We are so excited to explore how far we can push these new quantum and quantum-inspired methods beyond traditional computer algorithms."