Zoetis has added a dermatology application to its Vetscan Imagyst, which promises to reduce the time it takes GP veterinary surgeons to analyse skin samples by as much as half.
The new Vetscan Imagyst AI dermatology application analyses impression smears and ear and skin swabs to identify yeast, inflammatory cells and bacteria.

It provides results in about ten minutes, depending on your upload speeds, which VetSurgeon understands is probably how long a dermatologist would take to perform the task (compared to a GP, who might take twice as long, depending on skills, available equipment, volume of tests, etc). 

In terms of accuracy, Zoetis says the application is comparable to that of a clinical pathology expert.

In addition, it fires out a report, including images, which can be shared with the client, adding more value to the consultation. 

According to a 2006 study, something like 72% of vets' derm diagnosis and treatment recommendations are based on presenting clinical signs and physical examination alone1.

Vetscan Imagyst list price is just shy of £18,000, but there are a variety of commercial deals that can be discussed with your Zoetis Account Manager. Each AI analysis costs in the order of a tenner.  

So the question is whether the new system is worth the investment - for the 72% in terms of a more accurate diagnosis over an educated guess, and for the 28% in terms of the time-savings over a manual analysis.

Sophie Duguid, Diagnostics National Veterinary Manager at Zoetis UK said: “The ability to accurately and reliably identify inflammatory cells, bacteria and yeast, at the time of visit can make a huge difference for busy clinics, ensuring better outcomes and happier patients and owners.

"Performing cytology is a critical component of the dermatology work-up, however this can often be challenging for veterinary healthcare teams to deliver given the considerable time pressures in clinical practice.

"Vetscan Imagyst AI dermatology allows clinicians to rapidly detect the presence or absence of skin infection in canine and feline dermatology cases which allows for clinically informed decision making."

Reference

Hill PB et al; Survey of the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of dermatological conditions in small animals in general practice. Veterinary Record (2006) 158, 533-539

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