'A weight lifted': Artificial intelligence helps Austin patients screen for cancer

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made its way into several parts of our lives: from the classroom to the workplace. Now, it is helping doctors detect cancer and other health conditions.

AUSTIN (KXAN) --- Artificial intelligence (AI) has made its way into several parts of our lives: from the classroom to the workplace. Now, it is helping doctors detect cancer and other health conditions.

Ezra, a New York City-based health technology startup, created the technology that screens for cancer in up to 13 organs in one hour.

It uses three different AI systems. Ezra Founder and CEO Emi Gal said one of them helps enhance the quality of the scans.

"Once the scan is done, we have an AI called Ezra Assist that assists radiologists when they read scans so that the radiologists are faster," said Gal. "Then we have an AI that is called Ezra Reporter that takes any radiology report and converts it into plain English."

'Most requested cities'

The scan launched in Austin this July after there was a lot of local interest in it.

"It's one of our most requested cities," Gal said. "We had hundreds of people on the waiting list just asking us every week, 'When are we launching in Austin?'"

The company partnered with Longhorn Imaging and is now in twelve of their clinics.

Longhorn Imaging Director of Marketing Dave Lanfrankie said it makes sense why a lot of people here want to do the scan.

"Austin has a culture of health and wellness. It always has. I also think a lot of elite athletes are here in Austin," Lanfrankie said. "In addition, I think Austin's not really a city that's scared of technology."

Lanfrankie said they've done about 60 scans so far.

"With cancer, early detection is key to getting better," Lanfrankie said. "Not only that, it also screens for 500 plus other problems that you might have within your body."

'Weight lifted'

Seema Singh was one of the first patients to get scanned in Austin. As a nurse practitioner, Singh said she understands how important your health is.

"I have a background also as a bedside nurse in oncology for eight years, and I saw how cancer affected all ages," Singh said. "The Ezra scan was very appealing to me because I don't want to be that statistic."

A few days after the scan, Singh received a comprehensive report showing whether she had cancer or other health conditions. She said luckily, nothing came up.

Still, having that knowledge gave her a sense of relief.

"It made me just feel like a weight lifted off my shoulders," said Singh.