Entries by Fernanda Fraga

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KA Imaging To Launch Premium Dual-Energy Mobile System at AHRA 2023

WATERLOO, July 6, 2023 – X-ray manufacturer KA Imaging is unveiling its Reveal Mobi Pro dual-energy mobile X-ray system. The product, which is a collaboration with UMG/Del Medical, will be showcased at the upcoming AHRA Annual Meeting.

“This partnership with Del Medical comes at an excellent time,” said Amol Karnick, President and CEO of KA Imaging. “After the pandemic, mobile imaging has become more prominent in many healthcare facilities, so offering a solution to improve the visualization of bones and tissues at the bedside is essential,” said Karnick.

“We are excited to support KA Imaging and their enhanced detector technology for the conventional and mobile radiographic markets,” said Marc Lorenzo, Executive Vice President at Del Medical.

The Reveal Mobi Pro integrates KA Imaging’s Reveal™ 35C detector with SpectralDR™ technology into a complete mobile X-ray solution. Reveal’s ability to simultaneously acquire conventional and dual-energy images with a single exposure at the bedside improves hospital and patient outcomes and protects revenue by reducing outflows.

The Reveal 35C detector mimics the workflow, dose and techniques of state-of-the-art mobile DR X-ray. With the Reveal Mobi Pro, it is offered in a fully integrated mobile system.

Last November, KA Imaging unveiled its first integrated mobile dual-energy X-ray system, Reveal Mobi Lite. The main difference between the Lite and Pro versions are around some advanced features, only available in the Pro system. The most noteworthy feature of the Reveal Mobi Pro is the telescopic arm. In addition to the collapsible column design, the system has a high-frequency 40KW generator, integrated DR Workstation, 8-hour battery life, and motor-assisted movement.

The AHRA Annual Meeting will be held from July 9-12 at Indiana Convention Center. KA Imaging has booth #329.

The Reveal 35C detector is FDA 510(k) cleared. The Reveal Mobi Pro is coming soon and is not available for sale.

About KA Imaging 

A spin-off from the University of Waterloo, KA Imaging specializes in developing innovative X-ray imaging technologies and systems, providing solutions to the medical, veterinary, and non-destructive test industrial markets.

About UMG/DEL MEDICAL

UMG/DEL MEDICAL is a leading source of innovative radiographic products, with 90 years in medical imaging. We are primarily engaged in the design, manufacturing and distribution of high performance digital and analog medical imaging systems, sold and serviced globally by factory trained and authorized medical equipment sales and service professionals. Our extensive product portfolio of radiographic components, systems and accessories is designed to support hospitals, imaging centers and clinics by tailoring systems to accommodate each facility’s specific requirements and budget. UMG/DEL MEDICAL’s products are manufactured, pre-staged and tested in our Bloomingdale, IL and Harrison, NY facilities.

 

For further information
Media Relations
media@kaimaging.com 
T: 226.215.9897

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Health Check Bus: Lung Screening Project in Taiwan Reaches 8,000 Patient Mark

Mobile Unit is equipped with KA Imaging’s Reveal 35C

 

More than 8,000 patients have already been imaged by the Health Check Bus in Taiwan. The project started in July 2022 in Yunjianan and Penghu, an area comprising the county of Yunlin, Chiayi, Penghu and Tainan city. It is a cooperation between InnoCare Optoelectronics and the College of Medicine at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and focuses on mobile X-ray lung screening.

The Health Check Bus is equipped with KA Imaging’s Reveal 35C. Reveal™ 35C is a single exposure, portable, digital dual-energy subtraction (DES) X-ray detector. Powered by SpectralDR™ technology, it uses the same radiation dose as a chest X-ray to create three different images without motion artifacts. In medical applications, this means a regular DR, plus a soft tissue and bone images.

Although Low Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) is the current gold standard for lung cancer screening, it still has a few limitations. To be imaged, patients must visit the hospital; however, equipment distribution and availability is uneven. Therefore, having a high-volume screening tool that can be taken to patients and offer better insights than traditional X-ray can be a game changer.

The project is the largest epidemiological screening of lung cancer in Taiwan. Its results will be used as a reference for future changes in lung cancer prevention and control policies. It is expected to image 10,000 people.

“Reveal 35C has already been clinically proven to better detect lung lesions”, said Amol Karnick, President and CEO of KA Imaging. “Our studies show that radiographic spectral images can play an important role in earlier detection, and we’re excited to see how our technology will improve outcomes in such a high-volume project” he continued.

James Yang, chairman of InnoCare Optoelectronics, pointed out that “the additional soft tissue and bone images can help doctors diagnose a number of chest diseases early, and could be used further in any health check up projects, including the ones targeting remote rural areas, greatly benefiting patients and medical institutions.” According to InnoCare, access to lung screening tools in remote areas is less than 30% in Taiwan.  

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KA Imaging installs inCiTe 3D X-ray Microscope and partners with the University of Greenwich

Technology will support research in biological tissues, biomaterials and other engineering materials.

(Waterloo, 24 April 2023) – X-ray equipment manufacturer KA Imaging has announced a new install of the inCiTe™ 3D X-ray Microscope as part of a strategic partnership with the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom. The technology, first of its kind available in UK/Europe, will be used in research and knowledge transfer projects led by Professor Gianluca Tozzi.

The inCiTe™ 3D X-ray Microscope is the first commercial system that utilizes BrillianSe™, a patented high spatial resolution amorphous selenium (a-Se) detector exclusively developed by KA Imaging Inc.

The high spatial resolution and detection efficiency of the BrillianSe™ X-ray detector enable rapid phase-con­trast imaging and conventional micro-CT in a portable benchtop system. Thanks to such phase-contrast technology, the inCiTe™ 3D X-ray Microscope provides superior contrast, and better visualization of low-density materials.

The new inCiTe™ unit will support joint research efforts aimed at further advancing fast phase-contrast tomography of soft tissues and biomaterials in the laboratory.

“inCiTe’s phase contrast technology is particularly beneficial for objects with low conventional absorption contrast, such as the soft biological tissues studied by Professor Tozzi,” explained Chris Scott, Technical Lead at KA Imaging. “We had very promising initial results with some samples we processed in inCiTe, where bone and soft tissue can be better visualized thanks to phase-contrast,” he continued.

Professor Gianluca Tozzi is Professor of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom. His research is devoted to the understanding of structure/function of biological tissues and biomaterials using experimental techniques such as such as digital volume correlation (DVC) based on X-ray computed tomography, aimed at informing product development for industry as well as clinical practice for traumatic and pathological conditions. “I am very excited by the unique capability of the inCiTe 3D X-ray Microscope and potential for further technological development of phase-contrast tomography, within this partnership with KA Imaging,” said Professor Tozzi. “,” said the Professor.



Learn more about inCiTe

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Soft Tissue Image by KA Imaging’s Reveal 35C Undercovers Mass Behind In-Dwelling Device

WATERLOO, ON– Manufacturer KA Imaging announced a study examining “single-exposure dual-energy radiography for the subtraction of in-dwelling devices in the soft tissue image” that made use of the Reveal 35C X-ray detector, powered by SpectralDR™ technology.

Using the Reveal 35C detector, the purpose of the study was to determine the clinical value of removal of in-dwelling devices in the dual-energy soft tissue X-ray image. According to the study, the spectral radiographic images revealed a suspicious soft tissue mass in one of the cases by subtraction of an overlapping pacemaker in the soft tissue image1.

Images were taken from 23 patients having at least one in-dwelling device, and the patients were all part of an on-going 600 patient study using the Reveal 35C detector at Taipei Medical University Hospital in Taiwan.

“The fact that the soft tissue image was able to find the mass, not seen in the conventional DR image, overlapping a pacemaker is quite promising and indicates that SpectralDRTM technology can efficiently subtract, in addition to bone calcium, higher atomic number materials such as metals associated with the pacemaker,” said Dr. Karim S. Karim, CTO of KA Imaging. “Spectral radiographic images generated by SpectralDRTM can play an important role in early disease detection for better outcomes,” says Amol Karnick, President and CEO.

The study will be presented at this year’s European Congress of Radiology (ECR). In addition to the e-poster at the scientific congress, KA Imaging is part of the technical exhibition at Expo X4, booth 437.

ECR is one of the largest medical meetings in Europe and the second-largest radiological meeting in the world.

SpectralDR™ technology enables dual-energy subtraction, providing bone and tissue differentiation with a single standard X-ray exposure. It acquires three images simultaneously (DR, bone and soft tissue dual-energy X-ray images). The technology mimics the workflow, dose and techniques of state-of-the-art mobile DR X-ray detectors.

About KA Imaging

A spin-off from the University of Waterloo, KA Imaging specializes in developing innovative X-ray imaging technologies and systems, providing solutions to the medical, veterinary, and non-destructive test industrial markets.

 

  1. P-C. Chou, K. S. Karim. “Single-exposure dual-energy radiography for the subtraction of in-dwelling devices in the soft tissue image”. European Congress of Radiology-ECR 2023, 2023.

 

Contacts:

 

Fernanda Fraga 

Media Relations
ffraga@kaimaging.com 
T: 226.215.9897

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KA Imaging Presents Technology for Better Material Separation At SPIE 2023

KA Imaging CTO Dr. Karim S. Karim is attending the SPIE International Medical Imaging Symposium, being held in San Diego from February 19 to 23, where presented the study “Multimodal single-shot x-ray phase-contrast imaging using a high-resolution micropillar-based grating”. The study, a part of engineer Abdollah Pil-Ali’s PhD dissertation, was co-authored by Abdollah Pil-Ali, Sahar Adnani and Dr. Karim from the University of Waterloo, as well as Serena Qinyun Z. Shi and Professor Dr. Peter B. Noël from the University of Pennsylvania.

In this work, the authors present a novel approach to build a large area high resolution X-ray grating for emerging phase contrast X-ray imaging applications.  Like optical light undergoing refraction when passing through a prism, X-rays also refract when passing through objects. However, X-ray refraction is very minor akin to seeing a football stadium from the moon and usually requires a synchrotron source. An X-ray grating helps amplify the refracted signal and thus allows generation of three images with one single exposure: attenuation, phase and scatter in a compact laboratory setup. The simultaneous presence of attenuation and scatter images can help with both material composition and material identification e.g., telling the difference between fine and coarse powders or even the difference between aluminum and steel.

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics. The SPIE Medical Imaging meeting, to be held in San Diego, offers an opportunity to hear the latest advances in image processing, physics, computer-aided diagnosis, perception, image-guided procedures, biomedical applications, ultrasound, informatics, radiology, and digital and computational pathology.



Click here to learn more about the session

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Dual-Energy X-rays for Coronary Calcium and How SpectralDR Can Help

Click here to fill the form and receive the PDF.

DUAL-ENERGY X-RAYS FOR CORONARY CALCIUM AND HOW 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭𝐃𝐑ᵀᴹ CAN HELP

The world is experiencing an alarming increase in cardiovascular disease. In the US, for example, cardiovascular disease is already America’s costliest disease, but costs are expected to increase to $1.1 trillion USD by 2035.

Coronary calcium provides proof of coronary artery disease; successful detection will improve healthcare for many patients. Traditional Digital Radiography (DR) will usually fail at highlighting coronary calcium due to its poor bone/tissue differentiation. CT is effective; however, it is expensive, and not widely accessible.

Studies show that standard dual-energy scans are better able to detect coronary calcification than standard chest X-rays. However, old approaches of dual-energy have their own limitations – being the overall radiation dose for the procedure one of them. A novel technology, which allows for a single-exposure dual-energy X-ray solution, can overcome these limitations.

Download the white paper to learn more about how SpectralDR™ can help visualize Coronary Calcium and see a real case.

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World Cancer Day: Raising Awareness and Thinking of Ways to #CloseTheCareGap 

Equality in healthcare is a complex and ongoing issue. In the United States, for example, despite having one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world, many Americans face disparities in access to quality healthcare based on factors such as race, income, and geographic location. 

Inequality in access to healthcare, particularly for cancer care, can have serious consequences for individuals and communities. Some of the reasons why unequal access to cancer care is a problem include health disparities, late diagnosis, financial burden and inadequate treatment.  

In order to address these issues, it is important to ensure that everyone has access to the quality cancer care they need, regardless of their socioeconomic status or other factors. This can help to reduce health disparities, improve health outcomes, and promote greater equality in healthcare. 

World Cancer Day: Raising Awareness and Thinking of Ways to #CloseTheCareGap 

 

World Cancer Day is an annual event that takes place on February 4th to raise awareness about the global burden of cancer and to encourage actions to prevent, detect, and treat the disease. 

This year’s World Cancer Day’s theme, “Close the Care Gap”, is about celebrating the progress that has been made – and encouraging people to continue the fight. 



Learn more about the campaign

Lung Cancer: a global issue 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, accounting for over 1.8 million deaths in 2018. In the same year, it was estimated that there were 2.09 million new cases of lung cancer globally. 

“Individuals with low income are more likely to smoke, have a higher risk of lung cancer, and are less likely to participate in preventative healthcare, such as LDCT lung screening” said Karim S. Karim, CTO of KA Imaging. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, as of 2021, only about 10% of eligible individuals have undergone lung cancer screening. 

“Access to higher tech imaging such as CT scanning is not equally available to all,” said Dr. Phil Templeton, Radiologist and Chief Medical Officer at KA Imaging. In the US, access to lung cancer screening varies depending on the availability of screening facilities, insurance coverage, and patient demographics. 

For example, racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to lack health insurance coverage and have lower income, which can affect their access to preventive care and treatment options. People living in rural areas also often face challenges in accessing healthcare services due to a shortage of providers and facilities. 

Innovative X-ray everywhere is our way of contributing 

“KA Imaging started as a company because we wanted to democratize access to healthcare,” said Karim. The company, founded in 2015 as a spin-off from the University of Waterloo, was created to commercialize the disruptive imaging technology that was being developed in the university labs.  

Now branded SpectralDR™, the technology enables dual-energy subtraction, providing bone and tissue differentiation with a single standard X-ray exposure. It acquires three images simultaneously (DR, bone and soft tissue dual-energy X-ray images). The technology mimics the workflow, dose and techniques of state-of-the-art mobile DR X-ray detectors. 

In 2022, the company announced the initial results from a study examining the diagnostic value of single-exposure dual-energy subtraction radiography in lung lesion detection. Quoting directly from the poster, “lesion visibility reportedly increased in 45% of the cases when supplemental dual-energy images were included1.” Findings were validated using CT. 

“SpectralDR bridges the gap between X-ray and CT. The promising results from this trial show that spectral images can play an important role in earlier detection for better outcomes,” says Amol Karnick, President and CEO of KA Imaging. 

Currently, the technology is available in the Reveal 35C detector (FDA cleared, Health Canada approved). Reveal Mobi Lite, KA Imaging’s first full mobile system, is expected to be launched in 2023. 

“SpectralDR is our way of helping reduce the inherent inequity in lung-cancer risk by offering a solution for better imaging that can be easily deployed globally,” said the executives. 

  

  1. S. L. Maurino, K. S. Karim, V. Venkatesh. Diagnostic value of single‐exposure dual‐energy subtraction radiography in lung lesion detection: initial results. European Congress of Radiology-ECR 2022, 2022. 

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Grand River Hospital To Transform X-Ray Technology with KA Imaging’s Reveal™ 35C

With the support of the CAN Health Network, Grand River Hospital is commercializing a Canadian-made solution for improved patient care ONTARIO, NOVEMBER 2022 – Grand River Hospital (GRH) and KA Imaging are partnering on an innovative commercialization project supported by the Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network. Looking to transform existing hospital x-ray technology, GRH […]

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KA Imaging To Develop Fully Made-In-Ontario Mobile X-Ray System With Government Support

The mobile X-ray will have increased imaging diagnostic capacity for a variety of patients

 

Waterloo (Apr 18 2022) – KA Imaging is investing $1,488,000 to create the world’s first dual-energy mobile X-ray system using their Reveal 35C dual-energy X-ray detector. The mobile X-ray will have increased imaging diagnostic capacity for a variety of patients, including those in critical care and for those located in rural and remote communities where stationary X-ray machines such as CT scans and MRIs are not feasible or accessible. The project will receive $967,200 through the Ontario Together Fund and will create four new jobs.

 

“Through the Ontario Together Fund, our government is making strategic investments in innovative homegrown businesses with the ideas and solutions to help us support Ontario’s vibrant innovation and medtech ecosystem,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

 

The Ontario Together Fund aims to increase the manufacturing of domestic medical supplies and the development and export of homegrown solutions and innovations.

“Ontario Together funding will allow us to accelerate the development of the mobile X-ray system that has been on KA Imaging’s product roadmap for some time,” said Dr. Karim S. Karim, Founder and CTO of KA Imaging. “This system will be the first made-in-Ontario mobile X-ray and coupled with KA Imaging’s unique spectral Reveal 35C X-ray detector, it will become an essential component for improving Ontario’s resilience to future pandemics while growing Ontario’s high tech cluster and economy. We’re grateful for this opportunity where KA Imaging can directly benefit Ontarians by commercializing an innovative medical product that originated from fundamental research carried out at the University of Waterloo.”

 

“Waterloo Region is well-known for research, development and innovation, and I am very happy to see KA Imaging at the forefront this ground-breaking technology that will help a lot of people,” said Mike Harris, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga. “I am very pleased to see KA Imaging working with the Ontario Together Fund to get this project going, and I’m thankful for the job opportunities it will provide in the community.”

 

KA Imaging is a homegrown medtech company incubated from the University of Waterloo that specializes in developing X-ray imaging technologies and systems. The company’s intellectual property portfolio includes 80 global patents.

 

Contacts:

Fernanda Fraga 
Media Relations
ffraga@kaimaging.com
T: 226.215.9897

 

Read more:

Province Makes Strategic Investments to Strengthen Ontario’s Medical Technology Ecosystem | Ontario Newsroom

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