Premiere: Artificial Intelligence supports First Aid on Munich’s Oktoberfest 2022

This year, for the first time, a computed tomography (CT) scanner is installed directly on-site at the Munich Oktoberfest to triage injured visitors. The responsible medical team of the Department of Radiology at LMU University Hospital of Munich relies on the use of artificial intelligence (AI): The Health IT company deepc is equipping the setup with leading algorithms for CT examinations of the head.

According to the Medical Directorate of the City of Munich's Rescue Service, the number of emergency admissions increases by around 30 percent during Oktoberfest, the biggest folk festival in the world, which runs from September 17th to October 3rd. 

Supporting the initiative to provide on-site diagnosis and treatment resulting from head trauma, for the first time, a computed tomography (CT) scanner is set up in the first-aid area. Visitors with bleeding head wounds or other head injuries can be imaged directly on-site and do not have to be taken to an emergency room of a hospital by ambulance. To deliver the highest patient safety, the diagnostic process is supported in real-time by the use of cutting-edge AI.

Prof. Dr. med. Clemens Cyran, vice chair of the Department of Radiology at the LMU Hospital, says: “The on-site CT scanner at the Oktoberfest is primarily supporting prompt diagnosis after head injuries. Intracranial hemorrhage can be life-threatening, and diagnosis is now possible within minutes, which provides a tremendous benefit in patient safety. For optimized patient care at the Oktoberfest, we decided to integrate AI-based analysis to enable even faster diagnosis in a challenging clinical environment”. 

Prof. Dr. Jens Ricke, Chair of the Department of Radiology at the LMU Hospital, adds: „The implementation of AI at the Oktoberfest CT scanner mirrors the combination of tradition and innovation that is so characteristic for Munich and Bavaria”.

Building upon the partnership with deepc and the usage of their novel AI platform deepcOS, the LMU clinicians took into operation a globally leading AI solution for the detection of brain hemorrhage, a medical device developed by the French company Avicenna.AI which is available on the platform. 

“An outstanding team effort lead to improved patient care. We are more than pleased to make such a significant contribution with our AI platform in this new setting”, commented deepc’s Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Franz Pfister.