A cerebral aneurysm, where a blood vessel in the brain swells like a balloon, is a severe brain condition with a mortality rate of 50% if it ruptures. Early detection is crucial, but due to the lack of clear symptoms and the financial and time burden of tests, many patients only visit the hospital after a rupture occurs.

To address this issue, a company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) service (ANRISK) that predicts the risk of cerebral aneurysm using only health check-up data. This company is Talos, based in the Seoul Bio Hub, a bio-medical startup support platform established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. An interview with Kim Taek-kyun, CEO of Talos, sheds light on the changes that ANRISK could bring. Kim, a startup founder with a background as a neurosurgery professor at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital for 10 years, has treated numerous cerebrovascular disease patients.

―What kind of company is Talos?

“Talos is a company that develops solutions to predict severe diseases in advance using artificial intelligence technology, based on the vision of 'preventing preventable diseases through data science.' Drawing on 10 years of clinical experience treating cerebrovascular disease patients, we have embarked on developing preventive medicine solutions.”

―How is a cerebral aneurysm detected?

“It is mainly detected through brain imaging tests such as magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or computed tomography (CT). However, due to cost and time burdens, and concerns about contrast agents or radiation, many people do not undergo testing. Particularly, since most people have no symptoms, it is often only after a rupture that they visit the hospital, which is a regrettable moment as a doctor.”

―What is ANRISK?

“ANRISK is an AI service that predicts the risk of cerebral aneurysm using only health check-up results without additional tests. It calculates risk based on basic check-up data such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index, helping to identify high-risk groups early and detect aneurysms before they rupture.”

―Why was cerebral aneurysm chosen first among various brain diseases?

“Cerebral aneurysm has almost no symptoms until it ruptures, and the mortality and disability rates are very high if it does. However, if detected before rupture, it can mostly be cured through surgery. Since early detection allows for a 90% chance of treatment, we prioritized cerebral aneurysm as a development target due to its high risk but also high treatability.”

―How can ANRISK be used?

“ANRISK can be used in hospitals or check-up centers. It is currently in use at about 50 hospitals in Korea. AI analysis is conducted based on basic check-up data such as blood pressure and cholesterol measured during regular check-ups, and an individual ANRISK analysis report is provided along with the general check-up results. An app that allows easy use has also been released. Individuals can assess their risk of cerebral aneurysm using their check-up results. Instead of manually entering figures, their check-up results provided by the National Health Insurance Service are automatically linked for easy use.”

―What are the future goals?

“Talos recently won the 'Seoul-Roche Diagnostics Startup Sprint Demo Day,' securing collaboration opportunities with global companies. Based on this, we plan to strengthen global partnerships and actively enter overseas markets through follow-up programs at the Seoul Bio Hub. Additionally, our goal is to expand various disease analysis solutions that can be predicted with health check-up data, growing as a healthcare company that realizes the efficiency of medical fields and the value of preventive medicine.”

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