AUSTIN, Texas — A New York-based health technology company is hoping to change the fight against cancer with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).
Ezra partnered with Austin-based Longhorn Imaging to bring full-body MRIs to Central Texas that will help detect cancer early.
CEO Emi Gal said the way it works is the the built-in AI enhances the cancer screening process by using three systems that supports the scan, assists the radiologists and converts the radiology reports into laymen terms.
The uniqueness of it, according to Gal, is that it allows the machine to not only catch the potential disease, but hundreds of other conditions in 13 organs at a rapid rate. Screenings last from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the scan.
"If you get a scan and we find nothing, you get a peace of mind. You get a clean bill of health," Gal said.
According to a 2024 report by the American Cancer Society, there are an estimated 149,910 cancer cases in Texas. The report also said that survival rates reflected advances in treatment and early diagnoses, but it varies on the type of cancer.
Gal said with Ezra, those lives could be possibly saved with an early detection.
"I'm a person at high risk for cancer, for melanoma, and I've had cancer. My family, sadly, my mother passed away from cancer, so I have a kind of very personal motivation to help people find cancer early," Gal said.
Gal said Austin was one of the most requested cities for the technology. There are currently facilities across 13 cities.
Josh Gonzalez, who is the project manager for Longhorn Imaging, said they have screened 60 patients across four of their clinics and have a long wait list since they went live.
"Austin is very preventative with their health and they're very forward-thinking and they do embrace technology," Gonzalez said. "And I think the cool thing with this is that the city has wanted something like this for a while."
The imaging center said it will have services in all 12 of its facilities within the next few weeks and hopes to spread across the state in the near future.
Gonzalez said he has used the screening himself and believes it will help people take control.
"You typically don't find out until it's too late and then you're trying to, you know, be reactive ... With this, you can be proactive and actually take your health back," Gonzalez said.
The screening is not covered by insurance, and the most advanced scan costs $2,500. However, there are payment plans. Gal noted the company hopes to roll out a plan with insurance companies within the next two years or so.
"Once we have a $500, 15-minute scan, a lot more people can afford it," Gal said. "But most importantly, insurance companies will start reimbursing it, and that's how we plan to make us available for everyone."