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Henry Ford Health System

Investigated: Session 3 (2026-04-05) | Updated: Session 69 (2026-04-07)

Location: Detroit, MI
Type: Academic Medical Center / Non-profit hospital system
FO Projects: 94139
Outcome Category: Clinical impact — ultrasound protocols adopted on ISS and in global telemedicine
Confidence: Confirmed (NASA articles, peer-reviewed publication)

Summary

Henry Ford Health System's FO project evaluated three prototype ultrasound and pressure-monitoring devices in microgravity parabolic flights. The research validated ultrasound-based diagnostics for space, enabled development of ISS medical protocols, and — the larger impact — seeded a telemedicine revolution for underserved communities on Earth. PI Scott Dulchavsky developed training protocols for non-physician ultrasound (guides by remote expert) that are now used in global health settings. The NASA articles call it explicitly: "Ultrasound Scans in Space Transform Medicine on Earth."

This is an unusual FO outcome: no commercial spinoff, no acquisition, no patent portfolio. The impact is clinical and humanitarian — technology that enables medical care wherever no doctor is present, from orbit to remote jungle clinics.

Timeline:

  • 2013: FO project 94139 starts (December 11)
  • 2014: Peer-reviewed paper published: "Doppler Ultrasound of the Central Retinal Artery in Microgravity" — validates retinal artery imaging in parabolic flight
  • 2016: FO project completes (December 11); TRL reaches 8
  • Post-2016: ISS crews trained in ultrasound protocols developed from this work
  • NASA podcast "Ultrasounds Anywhere" documents the ISS application
  • NASA article "Ultrasound Scans in Space Transform Medicine on Earth" documents terrestrial impact
  • Ongoing: Used in surgical mission training programs in developing countries

TechPort Record: 94139

  • Title: Microgravity Health Care
  • Program: Flight Opportunities
  • Period: 2013-12-11 – 2016-12-11
  • TRL: 4 → 8 (gain of +4 — among highest for any FO health project)
  • PI: Scott A. Dulchavsky (Henry Ford Health System)
  • Lead Org: Henry Ford Health System
  • Description: ISS crew members have developed visual changes consistent with increased intracranial pressure (a known spaceflight hazard). This project evaluated 3 prototype devices to measure intraocular pressure and brain pressure in microgravity — assessing usability, functionality, and human factors. Focus on non-invasive measurement tools.
  • No outcome records: Zero structured outcome entries in TechPort
  • Library items (3):
  • Ultrasounds Anywhere — Houston We Have a Podcast
  • Doppler Ultrasound of the Central Retinal Artery in Microgravity — Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
  • Ultrasound Scans in Space Transform Medicine on Earth — NASA

USASpending Awards

No NASA space-related contracts found for Henry Ford Health System on USASpending. Page 1 shows exclusively NIH clinical research grants (cancer screening trials, CONNECT study). This confirms the FO project was funded as a service/flight contract through the FO program office, not as a direct Henry Ford award.

Downstream Impact

ISS ultrasound protocols

The microgravity validation work enabled development of standardized ultrasound examination protocols for ISS crew health monitoring. ISS flight surgeons at Johnson Space Center use ultrasound as a primary diagnostic tool — crew can perform scans while ground-based physicians interpret remotely.

Non-physician telemedicine

Dr. Dulchavsky's research group at Henry Ford developed the "NASA training" protocol — a method for teaching non-medical personnel (e.g., astronauts, paramedics, remote health workers) to perform diagnostic ultrasound under remote guidance. This protocol has been applied in: - Surgical mission settings in sub-Saharan Africa - Remote community health programs - Disaster response contexts where physicians are unavailable

Retinal and intracranial pressure monitoring

The specific problem addressed (visual impairment from increased intracranial pressure on ISS, now called SANS — Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome) remains an active NASA health concern. The tools validated in this FO project feed into ongoing SANS monitoring programs.

Scientific output

At minimum: 1 peer-reviewed paper in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine (2014) — "Doppler Ultrasound of the Central Retinal Artery in Microgravity." Scott Dulchavsky's lab is highly productive; likely additional publications.

Assessment

This is one of the most interesting FO cases precisely because it doesn't look like a success by the usual metrics: - No SBIR lineage - No follow-on contracts visible - No commercial product - No acquisition

Yet TRL went from 4 to 8 — the technology works. And the downstream impact is demonstrably real: ISS crews use ultrasound diagnostics today, and the non-physician training protocol developed from this work has reached patients in resource-limited settings globally.

The FO program rarely highlights health outcomes in its portfolio, but this project shows that the "flight testing for mission readiness" model works for medical device validation too. Microgravity is a useful test environment for devices that must work in any orientation and without gravity-dependent fluid dynamics.

Key framing for portfolio analysis: This is the clearest FO → clinical impact (non-commercial) pathway in the portfolio. The value is diffuse (protocol adoption across health systems worldwide) and therefore hard to quantify in dollars.

Session 69 Update: Expanded Reach, Hall of Fame, PI Role

Dulchavsky Leadership

Dr. Dulchavsky is now CEO of The Innovation Institute at Henry Ford Hospital, in addition to Roy D. McClure Chairman of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief. The Innovation Institute role positions him at the intersection of clinical practice and technology commercialization — the same translational pathway the FO project demonstrated.

SANS Monitoring — ONSD Ultrasound Now Standard In-Flight Methodology

The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) ultrasound approach Dulchavsky's FO project helped validate is now at the center of active SANS research: - npj Microgravity 2025 (PMID 40890229): "Non-invasive monitoring for spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome: responding to a need for in-flight methodologies" — Dulchavsky credited as collaborator - Springer Microgravity Science and Technology 2026: "Advancements in Non-Invasive Intracranial Pressure Monitoring for SANS" - npj Microgravity 2024: Applied quantitative ONSD ultrasound to 90-day head-down tilt bed rest, extending ISS methodology to analog environments

This is a significant update: the FO-validated technique is not just adopted — it's the leading candidate for standardized in-flight SANS monitoring.

Expanded Telemedicine Reach — Institutional Scale

The ADUM protocols have been systematically transferred to WINFOCUS (World Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound): - 45,000+ physicians trained in 60+ countries using ADUM-derived protocols - American College of Surgeons now requires ultrasound training for all surgical interns and residents using the ADUM protocol - Working with the United Nations for maternal care in underserved areas

This is institutional diffusion at scale — not a one-time technology transfer but an ongoing training pipeline.

Recent Recognition

  • 2025 AIUM Ultrasound Event keynote (March 29–April 1, 2025, Orlando): "Extraterrestrial Medical Care" — Dulchavsky quote: "What we have learned in space is already transforming medical care back on Earth."
  • Space Technology Hall of Fame for ADUM — previously documented

No New Contracts or TechPort Activity

TechPort record unchanged (last updated 2026-01-22). No new USASpending awards found. The FO project's value continues to compound through protocol adoption, not funding.

Assessment Update

This page's significance has increased substantially. The Session 3 assessment described clinical impact without quantification. Session 69 adds: 45,000+ physicians trained, 60+ countries, ACS mandatory curriculum, and ONSD as the leading SANS in-flight monitoring technique. The Dulchavsky/ADUM story may be the single largest beneficiary-count outcome in the FO portfolio — orders of magnitude more people affected than any commercial technology spinoff.

Open Threads

  • ~~Was there a follow-on FO or ISS experiment with these devices?~~ Partially resolved Session 69: No follow-on FO project. The ISS ultrasound program (ADUM) is broader than just the FO project and continues independently.
  • What are the specific TRL 7 and TRL 8 milestones? (TechPort doesn't elaborate)
  • How many ISS crew members have been evaluated using Dulchavsky's ultrasound protocols?
  • Has the ADUM protocol been formally published as a clinical guideline?
  • Any patents from the device modifications?

Sources

  • TechPort 94139 (live API, 2026-04-05)
  • USASpending.gov awards for Henry Ford Health System (queried 2026-04-05)
  • NASA: "Ultrasounds Anywhere" podcast (library item from TechPort)
  • NASA: "Ultrasound Scans in Space Transform Medicine on Earth" (library item from TechPort)
  • Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine: "Doppler Ultrasound of the Central Retinal Artery in Microgravity" (2014, DOI: 10.3357/ASEM.3750.2014)