16 Bit

Dr. Alex Bilbily
Resident
$5,000

About the innovation

Approximately 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Mammograms are the current gold-standard for screening and are recommended on a biennial basis for women aged 50-74 in Canada. However, 88-95% of screening mammograms are normal or benign, leaving behind an interpretation expense of approximately $2 billion per year in North America.

Resident physician Dr. Alex Bilbily and his company, 16 Bit, undertook this challenge by developing the Intelligent Mammogram Triage System―capable of triaging screening mammograms with high negative predictive value. Through this initiative, should a mammogram be deemed normal or benign by the artificially intelligent system, a radiologist interpretation may no longer be required.

Such a system will decrease the cost associated with breast cancer screening programs, decrease the burden on radiologists, and could provide a means of creating widespread cancer and non-cancer screening programs that are economically feasible.

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About the recipient

Dr. Alexander Bilbily is a University of Toronto trained medical doctor with a five-year specialization in Diagnostic Radiology. Dr. Bilbily wrote his first computer program at the age of five and has since pursued the study of computer science.

With over 7 years of AI experience, Dr. Bilbily co-founded 16 Bit Inc., an AI-first medical imaging company with the vision of augmenting physician diagnostic ability using artificially intelligent tools. Dr. Bilbily currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of 16 Bit and is a member of the Canadian Association of Radiology AI Working Group.

Dr. Bilbily believes that AI will be the foundation of next-generation tools that will improve the efficiency, quality, and reliability of care that physicians can offer to their patients. 

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What will the grant help them do?

The Joule Innovation grant will help 16 bit hire additional staff to get their product to the market faster.