EMTensor

EMTensor (emtensor GmbH) is a medical device company headquartered in Vienna, Austria, developing electromagnetic tomography (microwave) brain imaging equipment. Its flagship product, the EMTensor BrainScanner, is intended as a portable, radiation-free, contrast-agent-free brain functional imaging device that complements MRI and CT, with a particular focus on stroke. The company says its technology is designed to bring stroke diagnosis closer to the time of symptom onset, enabling 24/7 head scanning in ambulances, emergency rooms, and intensive care units, and eliminating the need to transfer unstable patients between hospitals. The company's roots trace back to research begun in North Carolina in 1990, with early 2D and 3D image prototypes developed in the 1990s and a 3D whole-body animal imaging prototype developed in 1999. EMTensor was formally founded in 2012 and has since conducted human clinical studies, including a clinical 3D brain imaging study in stroke patients at Johannes Kepler University Linz. The fourth-generation BrainScanner (G4) has been presented at RSNA and MEDICA. The company has received funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Swiss AO Foundation, Carolinas HealthCare System, and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). EMTensor is founder-owned and venture-backed, and has invested USD 20 million in private and public funding to date. The company operates in Vienna, Austria, and has an engineering team in Bangalore, India. Its team is described as a multidisciplinary international team of scientists, engineers, and clinicians. The company's stated mission is to shift brain diagnostics from "reactive" (treatment lagging behind delayed diagnosis) to "proactive preventive" (early diagnosis leading to early successful treatment). According to the company's own disclosures, its product remains in the clinical research stage and is not sold in the United States or elsewhere. EMTensor has said the first electromagnetic tomography brain scanner will be used for research purposes first and then launched fully with full FDA approval, but the timeline has been adjusted several times.

EMTensor's technology lineage begins in 1990 in North Carolina, where development of electromagnetic tomography for medical imaging started. Through the 1990s the team produced a series of prototypes: a first 2D image prototype in 1994, a first 3D image prototype in 1996, and a prototype for 3D full-body animal imaging in 1999. This research phase was supported by grants from Carolinas Healthcare System and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and included 13 non-human trials. In 2001 the first 2D product/image was achieved, and in 2008 the company entered its R&D phase with the foundation of EMTensor. A grant from FFG, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, followed in 2010, along with a study involving 20 patients. In 2012 the company was formally established as a legal entity, building on the accumulated technology development. A clinical study with human participants took place in 2013, and in 2014 EMTensor began a research cooperation with Johannes Kepler University of Linz. In 2015 the company developed the BrainScanner G3 and conducted a clinical brain 3D imaging study with stroke patients involving 25 patients. In 2017, clinical research on stroke patients was conducted at the Kepler University Clinic. The fourth-generation EMTensor BrainScanner G4 was introduced at the RSNA and MEDICA trade fairs in 2017–2019. In 2020, the fourth-generation product achieved a 6 dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio. That same year, EMTensor and QuantalRF announced a joint evaluation of QuantalRF's technology. The company has been supported financially over many years by governmental agencies from the USA (NIH), Switzerland and Austria. EMTensor is owned by its founders and backed by venture capitalists, with $20 million of private and public funds invested to date. It is based in Vienna, Austria, and has a growing engineering team in Bengaluru, India. The company's products remain under clinical investigation and are not available for sale in the USA or elsewhere.

• 2020

  6 dB SNR improvement in fourth-generation product; joint evaluation with QuantalRF announced

• 2017

  Clinical research on stroke patients at Kepler University Clinic

• 2017

  EMTensor BrainScanner G4 introduced at RSNA and MEDICA

• 2015

  Development of BrainScanner G3; clinical brain 3D imaging study with stroke patients (25 patients)

• 2014

  Research cooperation with Johannes Kepler University of Linz

• 2013

  Clinical study with human participants

• 2012

  EMTensor established as a legal entity

• 2010

  Grant from FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency); 20 patients

• 2008

  Foundation of EMTensor

• 2001

  First 2D product/image

• 1999

  Prototype for 3D full-body animal imaging

• 1996

  First 3D image prototype

• 1994

  First 2D image prototype

• 1990

  Development begins in North Carolina

Developer of the smallest and safest tomographic brain imaging modality, positioned as a portable, radiation-free complement to MRI and CT for rapid stroke diagnosis and monitoring.

• EMTensor BrainScanner

  Portable electromagnetic tomographic brain scanner, designed to complement MRI and CT for stroke assessment and monitoring.

• EMTENSOR BrainScanner A

  Ambulance model.

• EMTENSOR BrainScanner H

  In-hospital model.

• EMTENSOR BrainScanner H-FN

  For functional neuroimaging.

1. 1Homepage - EMTensoremtensor.com
2. 2Our History - EMTensoremtensor.com
3. 3Our Company - EMTensoremtensor.com
4. 4Recruitment - EMTensoremtensor.com
5. 5EMTensor - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
6. 6EMTensor - Wikidatawikidata.org