What if surgeons could instantly determine whether they have removed all cancerous tissue during surgery? With SamanTree’s Histolog® Scanner, this is becoming a reality. Read on to discover how Sioux and SamanTree have partnered to bring real-time cancer tissue identification to operating rooms, making tumor surgery more precise and effective.
SamanTree Medical, a Swiss medical technology company, is making significant strides in digital pathology and tumor surgery. Their innovative Histolog® Scanner helps surgeons identify cancer tissue in real-time during surgery, making more accurate decisions and reducing the need for follow-up procedures. As they prepared for the commercial launch, they needed a trusted partner to refine their technology and scale up production. That’s where Sioux Technologies came in – bringing expertise in software development, AI-powered image analysis and manufacturing to help turn this vision into reality.
Tumor surgery, especially in cases like breast cancer, is complex. Surgeons have to remove all malignant tissue while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible. Traditionally, histopathology analysis happens after surgery, sometimes revealing that additional operations are necessary. The Histolog® Scanner changes this by providing subcellular-level imaging right in the operating room, making real-time decision-making more precise.
But launching such a revolutionary product came with challenges. The scanner needed to:
Sioux Technologies brought together expertise in software development, AI, and high-tech manufacturing to support SamanTree in multiple ways:
1. Deep Learning for Smarter Image Analysis Our Mathware specialists worked closely with SamanTree to develop AI-powered tools for analyzing Histolog® Scanner images. Using deep learning, the system now detects areas of interest within tissue samples, helping surgeons interpret scans more quickly and with greater accuracy. Key improvements included:
2. Enhancing Performance & Speed To boost performance, we fine-tuned the scanner’s processing speed. Based on Samantree's new model architecture, we optimized the CUDA code, updated the TensorRT runtime and achieved an increased inference speed of 40%.
3. Manufacturing & Industrialization Beyond software and AI, Sioux took on the exclusive production rights for the Histolog® Scanner. With our team handling manufacturing, SamanTree could focus on customer engagement and market expansion. Today, a fleet of eight scanners is already being used in leading European medical centers, paving the way for a full commercial rollout.
Our collaboration is already making a difference. AI-assisted scanning helps surgeons work with greater precision, reducing the need for repeat surgeries. Deep learning-powered image processing speeds up tissue assessment, making real-time tumor margin evaluation much more efficient. At the same time, our expertise in industrialization ensures that we can keep up with growing demand, making this life-changing technology more widely available.
With more than 500,000 lumpectomies performed annually in the US and Europe – and up to 25% requiring re-operation – this innovation has the power to significantly improve patient outcomes and ease the burden on healthcare systems. That’s why we didn’t just contribute our expertise. We also made a €3 million investment in SamanTree, reinforcing our commitment to pushing the boundaries of medical innovation and improving cancer care worldwide.
SamanTree Medical is rapidly expanding, and we will continue to support them in AI advancements, production scaling, and cost optimization. Together, we are reshaping tumor surgery by combining cutting-edge AI, real-time imaging and high-tech manufacturing. The result? More precise, efficient and less invasive procedures – improving patient care every step of the way.
"Sioux translates the latest knowledge about deep learning into our Histolog Scanner and applications. We are revolutionizing tumor surgery." - Etienne Schaffer, CTO of SamanTree Medical.
