Entries by Fernanda Fraga

World Cancer Day Raises Awareness Of Disease And Prevention

World Cancer Day is observed on February 4. It is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). 

Here at KA Imaging, we are proud to have partnered with Grand River Hospital to test the effectiveness of the Reveal 35C x-ray detector in patients with lung cancer. 

Learn more about this disease, which is considered the 2nd leading cause of death in the world.

infographic showing different statistics on Cancer in Canada, the US and globally. Feb 4 is World Cancer Day.

References

 

1.World Health Organization. Cancer. Retrieved February 1, 2021 from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer

2.World Health Organization. Cancer Tomorrow. Estimated number of new cases from 2020 to 2025, Both sexes. Retrieved February 1,2021 from https://gco.iarc.fr/tomorrow/en/dataviz/isotypeyears=2025&single_unit=1000000&types=0&group_populations=0&multiple_populations=0&populations=900

3.World Health Organization. Cancer Tomorrow. Estimated number of deaths from 2020 to 2025, Both sexes. Retrieved February 1,2021 from https://gco.iarc.fr/tomorrow/en/dataviz/isotypeyears=2025&single_unit=1000000&types=1&group_populations=0&multiple_populations=0&populations=900

4.Brenner D.R., et al. (2020). Projected estimates of cancer in Canada in 2020. CMAJ. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.191292

5. American Cancer Society. (2021). Cancer Facts & Figures 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021 from https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2021/cancer-facts-and-figures-2021.pdf

6. National Cancer Institute. (2020). Cancer Prevention Overview (PDQ) – Patient Version. Retrieved February 1,2021 from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/patient-prevention-overview-pdq

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inCiTe FAQ series

Welcome to the inCiTe FAQ series. Every week, we will release a new video on some frequently asked questions about our inCiTe™ micro-CT.

 

What is micro-computed tomography?

WHAT ARE THE TYPICAL MICRO-CT PARAMETERS?

Download the technical note to learn more.

What is the difference between direct and indirect x-ray detection? 

What factors can affect the resolution of the micro-CT?

What is phase-contrast technology?

How does BrillianSe work and how does this detector impact the quality of inCiTe?

What are the applications of the inCiTe Micro-CT?

What makes inCiTe unique?



Learn more about inCiTe™



Learn more about BrillianSe™

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KA Imaging’s CTO Discusses X-ray as a COVID-19 Screening and Monitoring Tool

Medical team looking after infected patient in hospital, coronavirus concept.

“Since last March 2020 to now, we have learned a lot and the approach is now better,” said Dr. Karim S. Karim, Founder and CTO of KA Imaging, about COVID-19 detection methods. Karim was one of the panelists in the Canadian Innovative COVID Solutions panel discussion last January 26, 2021. He discussed X-ray as a screening and monitoring tool. 

This event, attended by nearly 150 people, was hosted by the Government of Quebec, in partnership with the Bureau du Québec à Toronto, the Canadian and International Innovation Partnerships Directorate and Clinical Trials Ontario. Experts from Québec and Ontario were invited to discuss the different resources and innovative solution to counter COVID-19 and other pandemics.

Although PCR testing is very accurate, it has many limitations. “The biggest concern is supply chain”, emphasized Dr. Karim. There is trouble securing the tests, as it takes between three to six days until the results are ready. Ensuring raw materials and manufacturing capacity is time consuming. In addition, many countries cannot afford PCR tests, forcing them to resort into alternative methods for screening patients with COVID-19.

Chest x-ray is not a diagnostic tool for COVID but is reasonable enough for screening. “It is a good alternative in emergency situations. It is accurate and gives faster results, allowing physicians to make decisions quicker”, added Dr. Karim. Countries resorting to extensive use of diagnostic radiology to detect COVID end up getting a positive outcome by suppressing the early surges of this infectious disease.

“Digital health is definitely a trend”, said the Founder and CTO of KA Imaging. KA Imaging is improving X-ray. Reveal™ 35C is a detector with high sensitivity that is making use of the spectral information in the X-ray beam, which is also used in the hospitals. KA Imaging’s X-ray technology can use information contained in the X-ray spectrum to form a traditional DR, soft-tissue, and bone images. The dual-energy detector is currently being used in a clinical study in Toronto on pneumonia patients, including COVID induced pneumonia patients. “There are promising results, which will be published in the near future”, said Dr. Karim.

 

References:

Zu, Zi Yue, Meng Di Jiang, Peng Peng Xu, Wen Chen, Qian Qian Ni, Guang Ming Lu, and Long Jiang Zhang. “Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a perspective from China.” Radiology 296, no. 2 (2020): E15-E25.



Learn more about Reveal 35C

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KA Imaging Appoints Seasoned Industry Executives To Key Leadership Positions

Manufacturer KA Imaging has appointed Shawn Campbell as Vice President of Operations and Robert Moccia as Vice President of Sales, USA and Canada. 

Shawn has over 30 years of experience in business development and operational leadership.  Shawn served as an executive at General Electric (GE) Healthcare for 25+ years. Most recently, he was the VP of operations at Neurolign Technologies, Inc. Skilled in operations and strategic planning, Shawn will be a key contributor to KA’s growth.

In addition to Shawn, KA Imaging recently hired healthcare veteran Robert Moccia as VP of Sales in the United States. Bob brings over 20 years of management experience in the medical device industry to KA Imaging. Prior to joining KAI, Bob held various executive commercial roles with GE Healthcare in the areas of ultrasound and mammography. 

After the recent FDA 510(k) clearance and Health Canada approval for KA’s dual-energy flat panel Reveal™ 35C, the company that was founded as startup shows that it is ready to scale.

Shawn Campbell, VP of Operations

Robert Moccia, VP of Sales, USA



Learn more about our team

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inCiTe Micro-CT Photo Friday: Flannel Sample

How long  does it take before a cloth mask becomes inefficient as protection? We used inCiTe Micro-CT to see a small flannel cloth sample. 

Flannel is a soft woven fabric that is originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fiber. Flannel can be found in any clothing item, especially in cloth masks – yes, those ones we have been all using to prevent the spreading of COVID-19.

Cloth masks have many advantages, such as affordability, reusability, and longevity. They effectively stop fluids from coughs and sneezes, making their overall protection higher1. It is recommended to change the mask every 8 hours and should wash it regularly1.

But do you know how long it takes before
a cloth mask becomes inefficient against viral protection?

With inCiTe™ Micro-CT, we were able to see a small flannel cloth sample down to its fibers
because some of our collaborators wanted to observe how multiple washes affect
a cloth mask.   

Specialists advise that masks should be washed regularly and discarded if you notice any visible deterioration.  Visit the Health Canada website for more info on how to properly storage and wash cloth masks.

References

  1. Kluziak, M. & Miszewska, D. (2020). Coronavirus Mask Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.omnicalculator.com/everyday-life/coronavirus-mask



Learn more about inCiTe™ Micro-CT

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Dual-Energy Subtraction: The Future Of X-Ray Imaging

“Dual-energy subtraction is really the future of X-ray imaging” said Dr. Karim S. Karim, CTO of KA Imaging Inc., in a GEDI Exchange webinar held in January 2021.

The GEDI Exchange is part of the Gateway for Enterprises to Discover Innovation at University of Waterloo. Its mission is to support startups, founded by the university’s faculty, to develop and grow the enterprises to their full potential.

Alongside Dr. Karim, Carla Girolametto, Director of Research, Innovation and Clinical Trials from Grand River Hospital (GRH) made an appearance in the panel discussion.

In 2018, GRH and KA Imaging started a case study to test KA Imaging’s new product RevealTM 35C, the world’s first and only mobile dual-energy x-ray detector. RevealTM uses KA’s patented single-exposure dual energy technology, SpectralDRTM . This ground-breaking technology acquires the full spectrum and multiple energies in one
standard chest X-ray exposure, thus maintaining the radiation dose of a
conventional chest X-ray. This technology produces sharp X-ray images that
contain zero motion artifacts. The goal of the study is to look for nodules (calcified or not) and any hidden lesions behind the rib cage, by comparing dual-energy x-ray and conventional X-ray images using CT as a gold standard. Girolametto emphasized how clinical and academic partnerships have helped GRH remain a healthcare facility that is welcoming of innovation for almost two decades.

The clinical trial is still ongoing and shows promising initial results. With Reveal TM 35C, Radiologists were impressed by the clarity of the images captured – hidden masses were discovered in the soft tissue dual energy image that the conventional X-ray image did not pick up.

Dr Karim also talked about Artificial Intelligence (AI), a topic that is always present when it comes to Radiology. He believes that AI is a “second reader to assist radiologists by allowing them to be more accurate and efficient”.  The more information you can get from a detector, the better AI will perform. The three-layered design of Reveal improves the capability of machine learning, as Reveal produces three different levels of raw X-ray spectral information. “It’s a win-win situation. It allows for better management” he added.

Reveal’s Dual-Energy technology simultaneously acquires 3 images in one single shot, improving visualization of bone and tissue. Use the slider to transition between a traditional DR and the two dual-energy images created by Reveal.





Contact us to learn more

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KA Imaging X-Ray Systems Celebrates 2020 Milestones

KA Imaging is unstoppable. Looking back to 2020, the X-ray systems manufacturer KA Imaging can describe it as “rewarding”. Despite all the difficulties brought by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the team was capable of remarkable achievements. Reveal™ 35C: ready to go Reveal™ 35C, the world’s first portable single exposure dual-energy X-ray detector, received FDA Clearance […]

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Radiation doses in our lives (infographic)

What do you know about radiation? Sometimes, you can’t avoid it. Radiation is present in our lives in different doses and situations. In medical imaging, risks and benefits must be weighed.

References:

1. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

2. RadiologyInfo.org 

3. Radiation Dosimetry

4. Maurino, S. L., Ghanbarzadeh, S., Ghaffari, S., Zhang, T., Cunningham, I., & Karim, K. S. (2018, June). Evaluation of A Novel Stacked Triple-Layer Flat-Panel X-Ray Detector for Dual-Energy and Digital Radiography Imaging. In Medical Physics (Vol. 45, No. 6, pp. E137-E137). Wiley.

5. Maurino, S. L., Badano, A., Cunningham, I. A., & Karim, K. S. (2016, March). Theoretical and Monte Carlo optimization of a stacked three-layer flat-panel x-ray imager for applications in multi-spectral diagnostic medical imaging. In Medical Imaging 2016: Physics of Medical Imaging (Vol. 9783, p. 97833Z). International Society for Optics and Photonics.

6. MD360

 

Learn more about Reveal™ 35C.

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inCiTe Photo Friday: Lightweight aggregate concrete

Lightweight aggregate concrete has several applications, such as heat insulation on roofs, screeds and thickening for general purposes, among others. It is prepared by using low density aggregate like clay, slate and volcanic pumice. In order to provide a good bond, it should have a minimum or large external voids, as well as a large […]

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KA Imaging’s Portable Dual-energy X-ray Receives Canadian Medical Device Licence from Health Canada

Canadian market comprises more than 1,000 hospitals. The number of medical and diagnostic laboratories (which include X-ray) surpasses 3,000.   Waterloo, Ontario – A Canadian Medical Device Licence was issued September 24 by Health Canada for Reveal 35C™, created by KA Imaging – a University of Waterloo spin-off company. Reveal is a portable dual-energy X-ray […]

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