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National Post
13 minutes ago
- National Post
Pramana Receives Health Canada Authorization for Digital Pathology Scanners
Article content CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Pramana, an AI-enabled health tech company modernizing the pathology sector, today announced it has received Health Canada Medical Device Licenses for its flagship digital pathology scanners, the SpectralM and SpectralHT Cubiq systems. The approval authorizes Pramana to import, market, and sell its devices in Canada, expanding access to its advanced imaging and workflow solutions. Article content Health Canada authorization is required to commercialize Class II medical devices and affirms the product's safety, effectiveness, and quality. The approval opens the door for Pramana to support Canadian hospitals, pathology labs, and research institutions, helping modernize diagnostic workflows with scalable, AI-powered digital pathology tools. This recognition marks a critical step in Pramana's international expansion, building on its growing regulatory footprint. Article content 'Receiving Health Canada authorization is a major milestone in our commercialization strategy,' said Prasanth Perugupalli, Chief Product Officer at Pramana. 'It reflects the strength of our product development, quality, and regulatory readiness, and it opens the door to expanding access to our technology in a market known for strong clinical and academic institutions.' Article content Pramana's scanners are designed to digitize a wide range of pathology slides, producing high-resolution whole-slide images with automated quality control and AI-powered decision support. The platform supports both FFPE tissue and Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) samples prepared using methods such as the ThinPrep® Pap test (Hologic) and BD SurePath™ (Becton Dickinson). Unlike most digital pathology systems focused solely on anatomic pathology, Pramana expands digital workflows to include hematopathology, microbiology, and cytology, delivering flexibility across all major slide types. Article content 'Our research at the University of Toronto highlights the need for adaptable platforms that can manage these technical demands while still supporting routine histology and cytology workflows,' said Dr. Carlo Hojilla, Consultant Pathologist at the University of Toronto. 'Pramana's technology meets that standard, and its Health Canada authorization reflects both its clinical utility and the rigorous quality required for widespread adoption.' Article content Prior to receiving Health Canada authorization, Pramana secured Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) certification, a requirement that validated its quality management system and streamlined regulatory access in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Australia, and Japan, highlighting Pramana's commitment to modernizing digital pathology worldwide. Article content To discover how Pramana's whole-slide imaging solution can help healthcare organizations across Canada, visit Article content About Pramana, Inc. Article content Pramana is a health tech company transforming digital pathology with AI-powered imaging solutions that support seamless adoption across labs, health systems, and medical centers. Pramana's Spectral scanners deliver industry-leading image quality and unprecedented accuracy. Built-in AI algorithms and automated quality control streamline workflows, increase efficiency, and capture previously undetectable tissue features, empowering pathologists with the tools needed to improve clinical diagnostics and research. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
'Hallway of sadness' transformed by patients' art at Ottawa hospital
Social Sharing Tucked between patient rooms on the 5 North unit at Ottawa's Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent Hospital, a quiet hallway serves as a daily passage for staff and visitors alike. But the corridor once referred to as "the hallway of sadness" is about to take on a new identity. With Hallways of Hope, a new initiative led by Bruyère chaplain Roshene Lawson, residents of the long-term care unit have been invited to turn the once "gloomy" corridor into a vibrant gallery of their own making. After several months of work, a temporary exhibit held at the hospital last week offered a preview. Each piece is different, shaped by its own inspiration and technique. Some are deeply personal: a dog named Casey, a memory of Spain and even a forest rendered in thumbprints and coffee grounds. Created with the help of Ottawa artist Christopher Griffin, the works reflect each patient's ability — and willingness — to try. Some held pencils in their mouths. Others used their hands. Most had never painted before. A comment that sparked a movement The idea began with a moment of honesty. "Back in November, we were dealing with a realization of how dark things can be on our unit," said Dr. Chris Kirby, a physician on 5 North. "The burden of illness that our patients were shouldering … affects everybody — them, but also their caregivers." During rounds, Kirby made a passing remark about the atmosphere on the unit. "I kind of made this backhanded comment about how it was the hallway of sadness," he recalled. Lawson, the chaplain, heard the comment and invited Kirby to discuss it. "I was kind of like a teacher after class saying, 'You need to stay after and talk to me,'" she recalled. "I could tell he was struggling with the burden of what his patients were carrying." Many patients on the unit live with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, or other degenerative neuromuscular conditions. Some have lost speech, others mobility. Most face slow, progressive decline — and a hospital setting that can feel "very grey," as Kirby put it. "You're here for a long time. These are days that blend into each other," he said. For Lawson, the unit's role isn't just clinical — it's about human relationships. "Five North is not necessarily about a cure," she said. "It's about accompaniment — how we accompany our patients and families and each other on this unit. The journeys can be dark and a burden, but there can also be joy in darkness." Inspired, Kirby reframed his thoughts of the corridor. "You can't be focused on the negative," he said. "So I spun it and said, 'OK — hallway of hope.'" Lawson picked up the phone and called local muralist Griffin with a pitch: "There's no money in it," she warned him. "But there's great joy and purpose in it — and great meaning." Griffin immediately said yes. Where memories meet the canvas Each painting on display in the 5 North exhibit carries more than colour and texture — it carries a story. For Badrudduza Kazi, whose ALS has left him unable to hold a brush, the medium became as important as the message. Using coffee grounds and his thumb, he created Golden Quiet, a warm, pastoral landscape dotted with trees and sunlight. "It's a hope of life," he said softly, looking over the canvas. Kazi, who's unable to move his hands or fingers, credits Griffin with helping him believe he could still create. And he did. Griffin helped adapt each technique to the abilities of each patient. "I would dip their fingers into coffee grounds, and we'd basically finger paint," he said. "We had to rotate the canvas as we worked, because of their mobility — they could only reach so far. So we ended up painting landscapes sideways and even upside down." Kim Otte, another patient and contributor, was inspired by the memory of southern Spain. His painting, Malaga Sun, channels the warmth and calm he remembers from his time living in Europe. "I was asked to pick a place that was perhaps the most positive experience," he said. "This is the part of Malaga in southern Spain … it's a very serene place, beautiful climate. I have many, many happy memories from that place." Otte also appreciated the fact that the paintings will be on permanent display. "Because obviously at some point I'm not going to be here … you put a little fingerprint on the place," he said. Another participant, Martin Meech, painted a scene based on his childhood memories at a lake near Lac Long in Quebec. His work, Where the Trees Remember, is rich with coffee-textured trees and orange foliage. "At the end, I couldn't believe it," Meech said. "It was just wonderful." The painting helps him return to a time he still holds dear. "It reminds me of everything — especially our cottage," he said. "The trails, the nature — everything." Meech said he hopes others take away the same sense of optimism that the project brought him. "If people stay positive, they do a lot better," he said. "And hope brings them positivity." The exhibit has drawn praise from families, staff and even patients who once said they'd never hold a brush. But for those involved, the real transformation happened well before the first canvas was hung — in the quiet moments of creation, conversation and care.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Local cancer diagnoses surge, but survival rates also climb
Windsor Regional Hospital is celebrating the completion of construction of a fourth Linear Accelerator (LINAC) in Windsor, Ont, on Monday, March 24, 2025. (Stefanie Masotti/CTv News Windsor) Cancer rates for four types of cancers are on the rise locally, but so are survival rates. Jonathan Foster, the regional vice president for cancer services for Windsor Regional Hospital, says the need has never been greater at the local cancer centre. In 2024-2025, the centre saw about 5,000 new consults for new diagnoses of cancer, with over 116,000 visits across all types of services - a striking 10 per cent increase year over year that the hospital has seen. Top diagnoses locally are lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Despite these staggering numbers, Foster says survival rates are on the rise due to more efficient treatment options, such as the new radiation bunker at Windsor Regional Hospital. He adds that once the patient receives their official diagnosis, treatment begins within two weeks. 'In some ways our treatments are becoming a little bit more efficient with the new radiation bunker that we installed, some patients require fewer doses of radiation. So, the fact that we're still having more treatments overall just tells you that the volume is magnified so much more. People are waiting less time to get in so we can get them in within quick timeframes, usually within about two weeks to start treatment.' Foster added, an aging demographic is a big factor for these stats. 'People are also being exposed to a lot more environmental stressors, and pressures, and influences just in our environment in the community - stressful lifestyles, alcohol consumption, all of those things that contribute to cancer and we're just seeing a lot of those influences more and more. So, the best message is to make sure that you're getting your routine checkups with your primary healthcare provider.' According to Foster, these numbers aren't always a bad thing as it just means that more people are being treated and living longer. He said the cancer centre is seeing these cancers present across all ages, but they're also seeing more annual screenings being completed at younger ages. The age requirement for mammography screening, a tool used in early detection of breast cancer, recently changes from 49 to 40 years old. — Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News and Rob Hindi/AM800 News
