AI-powered cancer screening company Ezra comes to Seattle

AI-powered cancer screening company comes to Seattle

New AI-powered cancer screening technology is available in Washington for the first time, allowing people to get a scan in half the time for about half the price.

SEATTLE - 1-in-2 men and 1-in-3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Now, there’s a new way to screen for cancer and, much like social media, cars and smart homes, it’s powered by artificial intelligence.

Those behind the technology told FOX 13 News that, for the first time, it’s now available in Washington, and it’s allowing folks to get a scan in half the time, for about half the price.

The company is called Ezra.

"Ezra means help in Hebrew," said Ezra founder and CEO, Emi Gal. Ezra is a startup that created a new way to screen for cancer using a full-body MRI powered by artificial intelligence. "We’re the only company able to do that right now," Gal said.

Partnering with Rayus Radiology, the technology launched at two clinics in the Seattle area last month — one in Bellevue, the other in Issaquah.

"Seattle was one of our most requested cities," Gal said.

It's a much-needed resource, as the American Cancer Society reports nearly two million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States this year alone. In Washington, 44,000 people are expected to be diagnosed.

"The key to beating cancer, the closest thing we have to curing cancer is early detection. The problem is, before Ezra, there was no way to find pancreatic cancer or liver cancer or brain cancer before they were symptomatic," Gal said.

Gal says Ezra uses AI at every step of the screening process, which makes MRIs faster, more affordable and more accessible. The AI also helps radiologists read the scans. It then takes that radiology report and translates it into plain English so that everyone can understand what the report means.

"I play a lot of sports, I’ve had a lot of MRIs in my time," Andrew Bloom said. He experienced the difference firsthand. "It’s much quicker, much faster," Bloom said.

He understands the importance of getting scans and early detection after he lost his wife to pancreatic cancer.

"If she didn’t have that incidental scan she wouldn’t have lived as long as she did, I think people need to be empowered," Bloom said.

For Gal, the fight against cancer is also personal.

"I started Ezra because I’m personally at high risk for cancer for melanoma," said Gal. "I have over 200 moles on my body, which puts me at the highest risk bracket for skin cancer."

His mom also died from cancer because she found it late, which is why he’s dedicated his life to helping people find cancer early.

"By the end of this year, we’ll have scanned about 20,000 people and 6% of them have found possible cancer through Ezra," Gal said.

"Ezra scans have multiple price points, they also offer HSA [Health Savings Account] dollars, and installment plans to try and make it as affordable to as many people as possible," Gal told FOX 13 News.

Gal says the MRIs detect cancer, as well as more than 500 other conditions in up to 13 organs in the body.