A virtual reality walkthrough of mobile stroke diagnosis technology has been released by x-ray innovator Micro-X. The VR shows how the Head CT Scanner is designed to be used in an ambulance, bringing mobile stroke diagnosis to the patient to reduce the time to treatment. Stored in the side of an ambulance, the Head CT can be easily opened and operated, and if built successfully, will send images to stroke clinicians for diagnosis. The medical device is currently under development and due to commence human clinical trials late this year.

When completed, the Micro-X Head CT will be less than 70kg and will contain 21 mini x-ray tubes, as opposed to a conventional CT that is more than 1200kg with one x-ray tube in a rotating gantry. Micro-X's patented Nano Electronic X-ray Technology uses carbon nanotubes to miniaturise x-ray tubes. Mobile stroke units - fully equipped, custom-built specialist vehicles that accommodate a modified, but still very heavy CT scanner at more than 500 kg, and specialist acute stroke personnel - are being introduced around Australia.

The equipment and required staffing are a high cost, with the custom-built ambulance also requiring reinforcement to support the weight of the CT scanner. The good patient outcomes from these units provides support for a truly mobile solution that is lower cost and more widely deployable. The development of Micro-X's world-first mobile stroke technology is funded through $8 million of a $40 million grant awarded to the Australian Stroke Alliance under the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund.