AI-Powered Full Body MRI Screening for Early Cancer Detection With: Emi Gal
How can artificial intelligence make full body MRI screening faster, more affordable, and more accurate? In this compelling interview, Ezra founder and CEO Emi Gal discusses how FDA-approved AI medical devices are transforming MRI scans into a powerful tool for early cancer detection. Gal outlines Ezra's three-tiered AI pipeline—enhancing image quality, assisting radiologists, and translating complex reports into plain language—to deliver a 22-minute, 9 full body MRI scan. Learn how this innovation is helping detect cancer in asymptomatic patients and why younger populations may benefit from early, proactive screening
Episode Contents:
About the Guest
Emi Gal is the Founder and CEO of Ezra, a company revolutionizing full-body cancer screening through AI-powered MRI technology.
Key Takeaways
- Ezra offers a 22-minute, 9 full body MRI cancer screening using FDA-cleared AI
- Three AI layers: faster image acquisition (Ezra Flash), radiologist assistance (Ezra Assist), and plain-language report translation (Ezra Reporter)
- AI enables scalability by reducing MRI scan time and radiologist workload
- FDA-cleared devices must meet rigorous safety and efficacy standards
- Early cancer detection is rising in younger adults, especially for gastrointestinal cancers
Transcript Summary
How Ezra Uses AI to Improve Full Body MRI Screening
Q: How is AI integrated into MRI imaging at Ezra?
A: Ezra deploys AI at every step: Ezra Flash speeds up scans and enhances image quality; Ezra Assist supports radiologists with measurements and annotations; and Ezra Reporter translates radiology reports into plain English.
Q: Are these AIs FDA-cleared?
A: Ezra Flash and Ezra Assist are FDA-cleared class II medical devices. Ezra Reporter is a consumer-facing tool and not classified as a medical device.
Regulatory Strategy and AI Development Process
Q: How does Ezra navigate FDA approvals?
A: Ezra uses internal validation followed by regulatory team testing. They've received three FDA clearances and use themselves as predicate devices for future approvals.
Q: What about evolving AI models under FDA regulation?
A: Through the FDA’s Post Change Control Plan, Ezra can update AI models internally under set quality metrics without resubmitting each version.
The Function Health Merger and Holistic Screening
Q: What’s the vision behind merging with Function Health?
A: To combine lab and imaging diagnostics for the most comprehensive body insights. Ezra provides the scans; Function adds deep lab panels.
Q: How do patients benefit from these combined diagnostics?
A: Customers receive clearer, more actionable health insights—often detecting diseases early and avoiding hospitalizations through lifestyle changes.
Affordability and Scalability of Full Body MRI Cancer Screening
Q: How did Ezra reduce the cost of MRI scans so dramatically?
A: Ezra brought scan prices down from ,000 to 9 by optimizing software and leveraging existing imaging centers.
Q: Can Ezra’s scan detect small or early-stage cancers?
A: Yes, especially using AI-assisted longitudinal monitoring of lesions. This improves decision-making and can distinguish between benign and malignant growths.
The Future of Consumer-Driven, AI-Powered Diagnostics
Q: How does Ezra partner with traditional healthcare systems?
A: Ezra uses existing imaging and lab infrastructure but keeps patients out of the system unless truly necessary, driving down healthcare costs.
Q: What new insights has Ezra uncovered through aggregate data?
A: Higher-than-expected rates of gastrointestinal cancers in people under 40, leading to advocacy for earlier cancer screenings.
More Topics
- AI in Patient Care
- AI in the Healthcare Industry
- AI and Medical Innovation
- Healthcare Ethics and Policy
Keep Exploring
About the Series
AI and Healthcare—with Mika Newton and Dr. Sanjay Juneja is an engaging interview series featuring world-renowned leaders shaping the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine.
Dr. Sanjay Juneja, a hematologist and medical oncologist widely recognized as “TheOncDoc,” is a trailblazer in healthcare innovation and a rising authority on the transformative role of AI in medicine.
Mika Newton is an expert in healthcare data management, with a focus on data completeness and universality. Mika is on the editorial board of AI in Precision Oncology and is no stranger to bringing transformative technologies to market and fostering innovation.