First diagnostic X-ray system headed to space will use KA Imaging detector tech
March 27, 2025
by Gus Iversen, Editor in Chief
KA Imaging’s Reveal 35C detector has been selected for use in the upcoming Fram2 space mission, which aims to conduct the first diagnostic X-rays in low-Earth orbit.
Fram2, expected to launch in spring 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, will be the first polar-orbit crewed mission. It is part of a broader initiative to evaluate space-based healthcare capabilities and conduct polar region observation from orbit.
KA Imaging’s Reveal 35C features a dual-energy subtraction capability known as SpectralDR, which produces three image sets — bone, soft tissue, and conventional radiograph — from a single X-ray exposure. The detector has been cleared by both the FDA and Health Canada.
“Reveal 35C is different from other regular X-ray detectors because, for every X-ray exposure, one can obtain spectral X-ray information that allows for quantitative imaging such as material identification,” said Karim S. Karim, co-founder and CTO of KA Imaging.
The Fram2 mission’s medical research will center on bone mineral density, a key concern in microgravity environments where astronauts may lose up to 2% of bone density per month. The team will also evaluate diagnostic imaging performance in microgravity and explore the use of X-rays to inspect hardware in-flight.
"Even right now, they measure the bone density of astronauts before the flight and then again after they come back," Karim told HCB News. "If we're going to do long space trips, like going to Mars, where the astronaut is in space or living on the space station for an extended period of time, then it's important to measure bone loss because that may require the astronauts to take some kind of pharmaceutical to minimize the loss or to undergo special physiotherapy."
While bone density measurements have historically been obtained using DEXA, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, the Reveal 35C is poised to offer unique diagnostic and portability advantages. However, Karim notes, bone density measurements using Reveal 35C are not FDA-cleared, so this remains a research project.
Until now, ultrasound has been the primary imaging modality in space due to the limitations of earlier X-ray technologies.
Fram2 includes partners from MIT and Saint Louis University. MinXray, a Chicago-based developer of portable X-ray systems, is contributing its battery-powered IMPACT system, designed to operate without external power sources, an essential consideration for space operations.
"Space is an extreme case of portability, where the doctor isn’t present with the patient," Karim told HCB News. "But on Earth, you can imagine this kind of technology improving decision-making for paramedics, in emergency rooms, in portable environments, and in low-income regions where physicians or clinicians aren't readily available. That’s where the frontier is moving.
Fram2, expected to launch in spring 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, will be the first polar-orbit crewed mission. It is part of a broader initiative to evaluate space-based healthcare capabilities and conduct polar region observation from orbit.
KA Imaging’s Reveal 35C features a dual-energy subtraction capability known as SpectralDR, which produces three image sets — bone, soft tissue, and conventional radiograph — from a single X-ray exposure. The detector has been cleared by both the FDA and Health Canada.
“Reveal 35C is different from other regular X-ray detectors because, for every X-ray exposure, one can obtain spectral X-ray information that allows for quantitative imaging such as material identification,” said Karim S. Karim, co-founder and CTO of KA Imaging.
The Fram2 mission’s medical research will center on bone mineral density, a key concern in microgravity environments where astronauts may lose up to 2% of bone density per month. The team will also evaluate diagnostic imaging performance in microgravity and explore the use of X-rays to inspect hardware in-flight.
"Even right now, they measure the bone density of astronauts before the flight and then again after they come back," Karim told HCB News. "If we're going to do long space trips, like going to Mars, where the astronaut is in space or living on the space station for an extended period of time, then it's important to measure bone loss because that may require the astronauts to take some kind of pharmaceutical to minimize the loss or to undergo special physiotherapy."
While bone density measurements have historically been obtained using DEXA, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, the Reveal 35C is poised to offer unique diagnostic and portability advantages. However, Karim notes, bone density measurements using Reveal 35C are not FDA-cleared, so this remains a research project.
Until now, ultrasound has been the primary imaging modality in space due to the limitations of earlier X-ray technologies.
Fram2 includes partners from MIT and Saint Louis University. MinXray, a Chicago-based developer of portable X-ray systems, is contributing its battery-powered IMPACT system, designed to operate without external power sources, an essential consideration for space operations.
"Space is an extreme case of portability, where the doctor isn’t present with the patient," Karim told HCB News. "But on Earth, you can imagine this kind of technology improving decision-making for paramedics, in emergency rooms, in portable environments, and in low-income regions where physicians or clinicians aren't readily available. That’s where the frontier is moving.