Bergen teens create an app that could save lives

Jay Patel and Rudra Patel are not related — but they have the same last name, live in the same town, and attend the same school.

The two, who live in Elmwood Park and were students together at Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, also have a shared passion for machine learning, research and medicine.

They harnessed that passion to create an app that provides an instant diagnosis for brain tumors.

Jay Patel said the app is designed for laptop computers and will be active by the spring of next year. He said that he and his former classmate will be soliciting feedback from test users before the app is unveiled to the public.

Someone who has had an MRI scan of their brain can upload the images to the app. The app then employs an artificial intelligence method known as a convolutional neural network — where a computer processes data similar to the human brain — that analyzes the images to identify what kind of brain tumor appears on the MRI. The app then offers an image of the identified tumor.

"We noticed an increasing need for an app [like this one] in our community because of the high consultation fees for most neurosurgeons, increasing socioeconomic disparity, and relatively low number of neurosurgeons in poorer and more rural areas," said Jay Patel, 16, a rising senior. Rudra Patel, 18, graduated in June.

Their research found that in the United States the average wait time to see a neurosurgeon to discuss the findings of an MRI scan is 103 days. They also learned that there were 24,810 cases of brain tumors diagnosed in 2023, there was only one neurosurgeon for every 60,000 people, and consultation fees for an MRI scan range from $200 to $500.

Patel said the the app doesn't eliminate the need for a primary doctor. Rather, it could be a tool to help determine based on an instant diagnosis what patients have serious tumors that need to be dealt with right away as opposed to those that are benign.

Patel said he found that in interviewing doctors that they were so overbooked with patients that they found that this app would help narrow down what patients would take priority.

Both Patels finished a research paper that lays out how NeuroScan works, which they plan to present virtually during a conference organized by the India-based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers this month.

The duo have also created a team of 150 volunteers worldwide who will help market the device, including appearances on podcasts and posts on social media.

Patel said he’s proud of his and Rudra's efforts to create something vitally important to others.

"It's been challenging, but it is also really rewarding at the end of the day when you realize your app could potentially have an impact on the people who use it and completely change the course of their lives." Patel said.

Ricardo Kaulessar covers race, immigration, and culture for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com

Twitter: @ricardokaul

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen teens create an app that could save lives