NBT*: NextRay
Standard X-ray two-dimensional imaging delivers a significant amount of radiation to the patient. Even a single X-ray exposure may contribute to cancer and affect fetal development.
NextRay is developing a relatively inexpensive imaging machine that uses a new type of 2D imaging, Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI), which produces highly detailed images, can image soft tissues, and exposes the patient to less than 1% of the radiation dosage of X-ray machines.
NextRay built a prototype DEI device using an off-the-shelf X-ray tube and detector. Previously, the scientific community was skeptical that DEI images could be produced without the use of a large synchrotron facility, which costs hundreds of millions to billions of dollars to build.
The company plans to acquire funding and a manufacturing partner within the next two years, hold clinical trials in year three, and launch full-scale production and distribution in year four.
*NBT=Next Big Thing
Photo by NextRay.
Jaclyn on April 29th, 2009 8:43 am
That is a cool idea and i hope it is on the market very soon. As someone who sees doctor’s quite often, i do receive quite a few x-rays, and i swear one day the x-ray radiation will cause a problem! I think there really needs to be a better way to x-ray people without exposing them to so much radiation.
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