The world is interconnected, especially science. Just sticking with medical imaging, a lot of work done in astronomy has crossed over and had direct impact on medicine. CT scans are one example (algorithms and code from astronomy), and if you've had lasik or been to an optometrist with one of those machines that automatically spits out a prescription (adaptive optics), you've benefited from technology developed for astronomy.
Money spent on one area doesn't mean the resulting innovations or knowledge stay there, they cross over and enrich other areas.
Money spent on one area doesn't mean the resulting innovations or knowledge stay there, they cross over and enrich other areas.