CLEVER · Contrast-enhanced uLtrasound for livEr-disease eValuation: development and validation of a novel E-Health-software for Risk-stratification

The CLEVER project is a 4-years training and transfer of knowledge program between a highly innovative company working in advanced biomedical image processing and two renowned academic groups working in the field of liver diseases and ultrasound research. The scientific and industrial aim of CLEVER is to develop, validate and transfer to clinical practice a novel electronic-health system based on the analysis of liver dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound images to assess the severity of derangement of the intrahepatic vascular network in cirrhosis. This feature is closely related with portal hypertension and liver failure, which are the two most important complications of cirrhosis. The outputs of CLEVER will allow an objective prognostic stratification of patients with cirrhosis replacing current invasive and more expensive tools, such as measurement of portal pressure or biopsy. This goal is achievable within the project duration since all participating partners are highly committed: the academic partners are opinion leaders who have already contributed to improve the management of patients with cirrhosis, and will collaborate with an industrial partner who have already provided new e-health tools applied to medical imaging for risk stratification purposes.The project will be structured and developed to exploit at best the interdisciplinary approach, expertise and complementarities between the industrial and academic partners, in order to foster a creative intersectorial collaboration, accomplishment of its scientific aim, and provide high quality training for the participating researchers. This is expected to be of high benefit for their individual career development.CLEVER will permit to transfer the academic knowledge into an e-health product to be implemented in ultrasound equipments and used in clinical practice in hepatology. CLEVER will increase the visibility of UE in the sector of health technology, and will impact positively on UE citizen’s health.