Micro-X Wins $4.4M Grant to Revolutionize Stroke Diagnosis in Ambulances

• $4.4 million non-dilutive grant awarded under Industry Growth Program
• Development of lightweight, ambulance-ready Head CT scanner prototype
• Partnership with South Australian Ambulance Service and Royal Adelaide Hospital
• Ambulance trial to integrate telemedicine and paramedic training
• Data to support regulatory submissions and global commercial launch

A Game-Changer in Stroke Emergency Care

Micro-X Ltd, an Australian hi-tech company specializing in cold cathode X-ray technology, has taken a significant step forward in emergency stroke diagnosis. The company announced it has been awarded a $4.4 million grant from the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program to develop and trial a portable Head CT scanner that can be fitted into a standard ambulance. This innovation promises to drastically reduce the time between stroke onset and diagnosis, a critical factor in improving patient outcomes.

Traditional CT scanners are bulky and heavy, typically weighing over 700 kilograms, making them unsuitable for mobile use. Micro-X’s Head CT device, by contrast, weighs approximately 70 kilograms, about a tenth of the conventional size, allowing it to be installed in standard ambulances or retrieval aircraft. This portability could revolutionize pre-hospital stroke care by enabling paramedics to perform brain imaging on the spot.

Collaborative Trial and Development

The funding will support the manufacturing of the first ambulance-ready prototype and its integration into a South Australian ambulance. Micro-X is partnering with the South Australian Ambulance Service and the Royal Adelaide Hospital Stroke Unit to conduct real-world patient imaging and workflow testing over the next two years. This trial will also incorporate telemedicine capabilities, allowing remote diagnosis by hospital-based neurologists, and will include the development of a specialized paramedic training program in collaboration with Adelaide University.

Leading neurologists, including Professor Timothy Kleinig, are involved in designing protocols to ensure seamless communication between paramedics and hospital physicians. The trial aims to demonstrate clinical acceptance of the imaging quality captured by paramedics, which is essential for regulatory approval and eventual commercialisation.

Towards Regulatory Approval and Global Impact

Following the ambulance trial, Micro-X plans to conduct a reader study to validate the diagnostic standards of the Head CT images. The data collected will form the basis of regulatory submissions, paving the way for the device’s commercial launch worldwide. The project aligns with Micro-X’s broader mission to improve health equity by making advanced stroke diagnostic tools accessible beyond hospital settings, including rural and metropolitan areas.

Micro-X’s CEO Kingsley Hall highlighted the importance of this milestone, emphasizing that stroke remains the second leading cause of death globally and that faster diagnosis is crucial. The company’s innovative technology, supported by government funding and clinical partnerships, positions it to set a new global standard in emergency stroke care.

While the timeline depends on meeting technical milestones and securing clinical and ethics approvals, this initiative marks a promising advance in medical device innovation with potentially profound implications for emergency medical services worldwide.

Bottom Line?

Micro-X’s breakthrough portable CT scanner could redefine stroke emergency response, but clinical and regulatory hurdles remain ahead.

Questions in the middle?

• When will the ambulance trial commence and what are the expected milestones?
• How will Micro-X’s Head CT compare in cost and performance to existing portable imaging solutions?
• What are the regulatory challenges anticipated for global market approvals?