Delft Imaging and EPCON partner to provide AI for TB detection and surveillance under one roof

CAD4TB+ is the world's first all-in-one AI-powered solution to screen and monitor tuberculosis

'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NETHERLANDS, November 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At the World Conference on Lung Health this week (18 – 21 November), Delft Imaging and EPCON announced a strategic partnership unveiling CAD4TB+, the world’s first AI-powered platform that integrates AI for tuberculosis (TB) detection, nationwide surveillance, hotspot mapping, and predictive analytics into one seamless solution. The innovation marks a major milestone in the global fight against TB, which remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease despite being both preventable and curable.

According to the World Health Organization’s 2025 Global Tuberculosis Report an estimated 10.7 million people developed TB in 2024, and 1.23 million died. Alarmingly, 2.4 million people were never diagnosed or reported, creating a persistent ‘detection gap’ that fuels ongoing transmission. The African region alone accounts for roughly 24% of all new TB cases globally, with mortality rates several times higher than those in low-burden regions. These figures underscore the urgent need for stronger surveillance and smarter, data-driven interventions to accelerate progress toward the WHO End TB Strategy.

Despite decades of progress, TB detection remains fragmented, and global health programmes continue to struggle to reach vulnerable and remote communities, where the risk of infection is typically higher. CAD4TB+ bridges this gap by combining Delft Imaging’s field-proven AI chest X-ray technology with EPCON’s Epi-control platform, transforming how national programmes detect, monitor, and respond to TB.

“TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, and early and efficient detection in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities is essential,” says Guido Geerts, President and CEO of Delft Imaging. “Years ago, we were the first to launch AI for TB with our CAD4TB solution, which enabled large-scale screening and supported the screening of over 55 million people for TB. Today, we are proud to take the next leap, through our partnership with EPCON. By seamlessly integrating imaging data with surveillance intelligence, CAD4TB+ transforms every screening into an insight that helps close the detection gap and accelerate the path toward TB elimination.

Speaking of the partnership, Caroline Van Cauwelaert, CEO at EPCON, adds: “Our partnership with Delft Imaging focuses on bridging the gap between field diagnosis and national-level decision-making. By turning every chest X-rays into a meaningful data point, we empower programmes to act with precision and strengthen surveillance systems. Our partners can allocate resources efficiently and diagnose more people in less time. Together, we’re building stronger public health systems powered by data and AI.”

With CAD4TB+, every X-ray contributes not only to the care of an individual patient but also to the broader understanding of TB transmission patterns, enabling national programmes and policymakers to make data-driven decisions and prioritise interventions with measurable impact. This integration ensures that data generated at community level, often in remote or mobile settings, feeds directly into national surveillance systems, improving visibility, accountability, and resource targeting.

One of the most innovative aspects of CAD4TB+ is its advanced predictive analytics module. For the first time, CAD4TB+ goes beyond detection to predict where TB is likely to emerge next. Public health officials can use this to anticipate hotspots, optimize resource allocation, and plan interventions more effectively, and this breakthrough bridges the gap between individual-level detection and population-level strategies.

Proven Results

The Epi-control platform has already demonstrated tangible results across multiple countries. In Nigeria, EPCON’s Epi-control platform helped IHVN and SFH under the USAID-funded TBLON-3 project identify TB hotspots across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Osun. TB positivity yields in model-predicted areas were up to 103% higher than in conventionally selected sites. In South Africa, active case-finding costs were reduced from $1,748 to $437 per undiagnosed TB case through AI-enhanced, data-driven targeting. These real-world results illustrate how pairing screening with surveillance transforms impact. Not only are more people diagnosed, but interventions become more efficient, equitable, and cost-effective.

Similarly, CAD4TB has strengthened TB detection efforts worldwide. The AI-powered tool analyzes chest X-rays has helped screen over 55 million people and is now deployed in more than 90 countries. Supported by over 120 scientific, clinical, and economic publications, CAD4TB continues to play a vital role in improving early diagnosis and expanding access to quality TB care globally.

For more information visit www.delft.care

The CAD4TB+ solution will be on display at the World Conference on Lung Health - Booth B962

Candice Burgess-Look
KOJ Communication
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