Ezra, a New York-based medical technology company, has developed a full-body MRI scanner that can scan up to 13 organs in the human body for potential signs of cancer and monitor hundreds of other conditions such as brain aneurysms or fatty liver disease. Detecting cancer early is critical to beating the disease, but many people don’t catch their cancer until it’s already progressed, significantly reducing their potential for remission. This is where Ezra aims to change the game, with a goal of creating a $500 full-body MRI that’s accessible to anyone and improving the quality of scan results while reducing costs.
Ezra’s machines are currently in use in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and San Francisco, with scans being performed at existing American College of Radiology (ACR)-accredited facilities in these cities, with hopes of expanding in the near future.The company recently received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new level of artificial intelligence (AI) called Ezra Flash, which will shorten the current 60-minute, $1,950 scan to a 30-minute, $1,350 scan.
The current version of Ezra uses two types of artificial intelligence. It starts by automating some of the tasks that radiologists currently do when reading scans. AI is used on the reporting side as well. For example, if you have a 6-millimeter nodule in your thyroid, the AI explains what that means, what you should do about it, and how to monitor and follow up.
Ezra’s Founder and CEO, Emi Gal, is at high risk for developing melanoma and lost his mother to the disease. He believes that the cure for cancer lies in early detection. Gal argues that while screening procedures exist for some types of cancer, many forms of the disease, such as pancreatic, liver, or brain cancer, usually get diagnosed only after symptoms appear. Ezra’s mission is to detect cancer as early as possible. It’s important to note that Ezra is not a substitute for standard medical procedures but instead serves as an additional tool to enhance early detection and potentially improve survival rates.
We’ve scanned just under 5,000 people, and we’ve helped 13% of our members find possible cancer, Gal said. If Ezra has its way, this number will continue to grow in the years to come.
