Key facts
- Midjourney has launched a new division, Midjourney Medical, to develop a full-body ultrasonic scanner.
- The proposed "Ultrasonic CT" system aims to generate MRI-like scans in approximately 60 seconds using soundwaves and AI.
- The technology utilizes 500,000 ultrasonic transmitters and receivers and places users in a water-filled chamber.
- Midjourney plans to open its first wellness spa with scanning facilities in San Francisco in late 2027.
- The company aims to deploy 50,000 scanners globally and conduct one billion scans monthly by 2031.
- Initially, scans will be offered under an FDA general-wellness label for body composition mapping, with plans for diagnostic approval later.
AI company Midjourney, known for its text-to-image generation platform, is expanding into healthcare with the launch of Midjourney Medical. The new division is developing an "Ultrasonic CT" system designed to create detailed 3D body scans in approximately 60 seconds using soundwaves and AI, a significant departure from its previous focus.
The technology, which involves placing users in a water-filled chamber surrounded by 500,000 ultrasonic transmitters and receivers, aims to provide MRI-comparable resolution without radiation or strong magnetic fields. Midjourney has licensed ultrasound-on-chip technology from Butterfly Network for an upfront fee of $15 million.
Midjourney plans to integrate this scanning technology into wellness spas, with the first location set to open in San Francisco in late 2027. The company has ambitious global expansion goals, aiming to deploy 50,000 scanners worldwide and perform one billion scans per month by 2031. Midjourney suggests this data could help avoid 30% of deaths and 50% of healthcare costs.
Initially, the system will operate under an FDA general-wellness label, offering body composition maps rather than clinical diagnoses. The company intends to pursue regulatory approvals for diagnostic applications over time. However, the American College of Radiology has expressed caution regarding whole-body screening in asymptomatic individuals due to a lack of clinical evidence, a standard that Midjourney's technology will need to meet. Competitors like Prenuvo and Ezra operate in a similar wellness imaging space and face comparable regulatory scrutiny.