Real-Time AI in the OR with Perimeter Medical’s Claire System
The goal of cancer surgery is simple: remove the tumor entirely. The reality, however, is often complex, especially in breast-conserving procedures. Across the board, about one in four women must face the pain, anxiety, and cost of returning for a second surgery because not all cancerous tissue was successfully removed the first time.
This week on TAG'D: Beyond the Award, we speak with Adrian Mendes, CEO of Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, a TWO-TIME TAG Award winner, about their groundbreaking Claire system, which has been recognized for its Real-Time Surgical Intelligence.
Bringing AI-Enabled Clarity to the Operating Room
The Claire system, an evolution of Perimeter’s previous product, the S-Series, introduces an AI assistant to the operating room. It uses Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), a high-resolution imaging technology, to scan tissue margins down to a few millimeters.
The core process works like this:
- Scanning: The surgeon scans the tissue specimen immediately after removal.
- Real-Time Assessment: The Claire machine creates thousands of high-resolution images.
- AI Assistance: The system's AI leverages a massive library of images to highlight suspicious areas on the tissue margin.
If cancer cells are detected in the margin, the surgeon can immediately remove more tissue while the patient is still under anesthesia. This capability fundamentally changes the surgical workflow and has the potential to spare thousands of patients from re-excision procedures.
From Leap of Faith to Market Leader
Adrian shares that the company's journey began 11 years ago, long before AI became "normalized" in every pitch deck. The challenge wasn't just the science of imaging, but the engineering: making the powerful AI run fast, locally, and reliably within the demanding environment of the OR. Adrian also explains that because their AI uses image recognition, identifying existing cells rather than generating new content, it successfully addresses concerns around 'hallucinations' that plague other generative AI models.
The Road Ahead: Expansion and Validation
With the Claire system recently receiving FDA authorization, the company's focus is now on deployment and continuous growth. Looking forward, Perimeter is actively exploring applications of its high-resolution imaging technology beyond breast cancer into other tissue types.
Furthermore, as a recipient of the TAG Award, Perimeter gains crucial third-party validation that Adrian believes is vital for conversations with hospital systems. This external recognition helps affirm that their technology is, as the judges commented, a "highly impactful innovation... that enhances surgical precision and improves real-time decision-making".
Listen to the full interview to hear Adrian discuss the culture shift required to evolve from a research company to a commercial one, and how they are leveraging the FDA's Breakthrough Device Designation to accelerate reimbursement for this life-changing technology!
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