A University of Waterloo startup is aiming to change the way lung cancer is detected.
Grand River Hospital has partnered with KA Imaging for a pilot study to test their multi-energy digital x-ray imager.
Resembling a small mirror, the detector aims to reduce time, radiation and cost of cancer screening.
“With our technology, we can remove the bones and look at only the soft tissue where some of the lesions of cancer might be hiding,” said Amol Karnick, president and CEO of KA Imaging.
CT scans are currently the go-to, but Karnick estimates that they use between 50 and 1,000 times more radiation, and also take longer.
“We’re essentially a snapshot, you walk up to the detector, they take a snapshot and you’re on your way,” he explained.
The trial is set for 30 patients, with three having tried it so far.
Carla Girolametto, director of research, innovation and clinical trials at the hospital, applauded the move.
“It’s extremely exciting to see this research study come to fruition, and to actually witness the application of this cutting edge technology,” she said.
KA Imaging plans to launch commercially in 2019, with the end goal of replacing x-ray machines around the world.
“Globally, it can go everywhere, it is a portable detector,” Karnick said, noting its cost efficiency.
The detector has been in progress for about a decade.
Now, the idea is that the machine can go to the patient instead of the patient needing to come to the machine.
