# STARLIGHT, The Next Generation X-ray Imaging Technology

> **NIH NIH R44** · IMAGINE SCIENTIFIC, INC. · 2022 · $1,057,480

## Abstract

STARLIGHTTM, The Next Generation X-ray Imaging Technology
ABSTRACT
 Imagine Scientific has invented STARLIGHT, an IP-protected monochromatic X-ray source that will
significantly improve medical imaging. It is a long-awaited engineering and scientific breakthrough, and the first
practical, cost-effective, clinical source of monochromatic X-rays for diagnostic imaging. In its first clinical
application, it will be used in X-ray mammography to considerably advance screening and diagnosis of breast
cancer. Mammography systems using STARLIGHT will offer (i) superior detection of tumors for all women,
including those with thick and dense breasts, (ii) significantly lower radiation dose, (iii) elimination of painful
breast compression during examinations, and (iv) chemical analysis of tissue in-vivo.
 Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with over 260,000 new cases diagnosed each year
in the US. 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. 40%-50% of women have dense
breasts (BI-RAD categories 3 and 4 - high proportion of glandular and fibrous tissue), increasing their risk of
developing cancer by 4 to 6 times. The detection sensitivity level for these women is 48%-64%, compared to
~ 85% for women with less glandular and low amounts of fibrous breast tissue (BI-RAD categories 1 and 2).
 STARLIGHT addresses unmet women’s health needs caused by the performance limitations of current
mammography systems. Mammography systems using monochromatic X-rays will improve detection sensitivity
for early-stage cancers in the ~45 million women screened each year (US). Higher sensitivity will reduce the
number of missed diagnoses of cancer, while higher specificity will considerably lower the number of false
positive cancer detections and the unnecessary resulting biopsies, referrals for adjuvant ultrasound and MRI
scans, and avoidable costs and high stress levels for affected patients. In addition to a more conclusive
diagnosis, women screened with STARLIGHT-based mammography systems will receive considerably lower
radiation dose and experience breast exams without undergoing painful breast compression. Monochromatic
mammography’s superior performance is expected to substantially reduce morbidity associated with
misdiagnosed or late-diagnosed breast cancer.
 STARLIGHT is the first technology capable of producing selectable, monochromatic X-rays with the
required intensity for full-field mammography and can be integrated into conventional 2-D and 3-D
mammography systems. The cost to manufacture a STARLIGHT-based mammography system is expected to
be similar to current commercial machines.
 Imagine Scientific will design, fabricate and build an advanced STARLIGHT monochromatic X-ray source
with at least 10 times the intensity of the current prototype, enabling exposure times between 1 and 7 seconds.
It will be installed in a commercial mammography system, to demonstrate superior image quality and lower
radiation doses compared to ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10384060
- **Project number:** 1R44CA268468-01
- **Recipient organization:** IMAGINE SCIENTIFIC, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Eric Silver
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $1,057,480
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-15 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10384060

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10384060, STARLIGHT, The Next Generation X-ray Imaging Technology (1R44CA268468-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10384060. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*