KA Imaging is a medical technology company that was developed at the University of Waterloo. It specializes in creating X-ray imaging technologies and systems and holds 80 global patents for its intellectual property portfolio.
Our vision is to have innovative X-rays everywhere.
Our mission is to enable our employees the freedom to innovate to create high-performance products for our customers using cutting-edge advances in X-ray technologies.
At KA Imaging, we value embracing challenges and being innovative, respecting everyone, over-communicating to create alignment and focus, having integrity, maintaining a positive attitude, and putting people first.
Tell us about yourself.
I have extensive experience as an executive in the medical device industry, having worked with start-ups such as Ultrasonix, Sentinelle Medical, and Ventripoint and large OEMs like GE Healthcare. With a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Waterloo and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from McGill, I have spent 20 years in the medical imaging field, leading teams of various disciplines such as sales, engineering, and operations. Currently, I am focused on leading KA Imaging to become a global leader in the industry.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Hindsight is something we all wish we had. I wish I could travel back 20 years, but the advice would be the same. Be assertive, stay focused, and, most importantly, sell hard and close deals.
What problem does your business solve?
Despite being the most accessible imaging modality globally, Digital Radiography is very limited in tissue differentiation. This is a problem because, in some cases, this translates into misdiagnosis. Having a patient who goes to the ER with a few symptoms, has an X-ray, and is discharged only to come back after a few days with a more progressed pneumonia is not uncommon.
What we want to do with our SpectralDR technology is to allow better diagnostic capabilities for general X-rays. This way, patients can have better outcomes. Hospitals can also benefit as they avoid unnecessary procedures, reducing overall costs of an overburdened system.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
Despite being the most accessible imaging modality globally, Digital Radiography is very limited in tissue differentiation. This is a problem because, in some cases, this translates into misdiagnosis. Having a patient who goes to the ER with a few symptoms, has an X-ray, and is discharged only to come back after a few days with a more progressed pneumonia is not uncommon.
What we want to do with our SpectralDR technology is to allow better diagnostic capabilities for general X-rays. This way, patients can have better outcomes. Hospitals can also benefit as they avoid unnecessary procedures, reducing overall costs of an overburdened system.
What is your magic sauce?
Our Reveal 35C detector is the only detector capable of offering three different images from a single X-ray exposure with no added radiation. Thanks to SpectralDR technology, with one exposure, the Reveal 35C can create a traditional digital radiography, bone image, and soft tissue image. Other competitors can’t do it the way we do – they may offer three images, but they can’t do it portably, or with one exposure, there are always limitations involved. These limitations really prevent their approach from being widely used, as we propose.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
Our vision is “Innovative X-ray everywhere”. Our ambitious goal is exactly that: create innovations that are useful and affordable in a way that we can help solve problems faced by healthcare systems globally.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
When we first launched the Reveal 35C for commercialization in the US, it was September 2020 – that is, we were just starting to deal with the initial COVID-19 waves, a very sad scenario that we’re all happy to put behind us. This was a big challenge, as the world was pretty much closed. We were a young company, and we couldn’t really go to hospitals, present, and discuss the benefits of our technology with the users. Now, the world is finally in a much better position. And we’re happy to be able to support the system with a technology that can make a difference.
How can people get involved?
The best way to help is by spreading the news. Patients can ask their doctors about the Reveal 35C and SpectralDR technology. We’re proud to have a few hospitals already using our device, and we want to keep growing this number. We truly believe that digital radiography can be better.