Vendors see expanding market for ultrasound miniPACSThe market for dedicated ultrasound miniPACS, thought to be in decline because of the rise of enterprise-wide image and information management systems, apparently still has plenty of life left.

Ultrasound vendor Acuson scored a coup this month when it sold 10 echocardiography systems, combined with its KinetDx PACS product, to Health First Heart Institute of Brevard, FL. Health First has installed one of Acuson’s Aspen units and

Potential Philips/Picker, Siemens/Toshiba moves discussedMergers and acquisitions—both real and imagined—are not new to the medical imaging marketplace. But with several blockbuster deals completed in the last year, some market watchers

OpenSpeed combines superconducting, permanent magnet technologyGE Medical Systems has become the first company to debut a true high-field open MRI scanner. The Milwaukee-based company will introduce a 0.7-tesla superconducting scanner featuring an

Mammography firm TransScan Research and Development has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for a premarket approval supplement for its TS-2000 electrical impedance breast scanning system that covers improvements in the unit’s

Vendor sets sights on expanding PACS marketSeeking to turn around its recent lackluster financial performance, ADAC Laboratories is moving aggressively to focus on businesses that it believes have high profit potential, such as healthcare

GE Medical Systems last month introduced an educational program for its MRI clients. The MR Masters Series helps radiologists learn about new MRI techniques and technology, as well as new software. The Waukesha, WI, company formally launched the program

CTI PET Systems (CPS), the joint venture between CTI and Siemens Nuclear Medicine Group, has expanded its partnership with Mobile PET Systems. The two companies announced last month the launch of a mobile PET operation that will serve European hospitals.

Vendors formalize strategies for multislice technologyActivity in the multislice CT market continues to heat up. Philips Medical Systems and Siemens Medical Systems will unveil a total of four new CT scanners at this month’s annual meeting of

Toshiba Medical Systems Europe has established a partnership with Medcon Ltd. The two firms hope the alliance will help each company develop and market advanced digital angiographic site maps and integrated connectivity products. With the partnership,

Contrast agent developer Epix Medical hopes to change the way clinicians treat cardiovascular disease. The company has announced that it is developing EP-862, an MRI imaging agent designed to detect blood clots. Although Epix has not yet begun human

Innovations in radiology and cardiology will boost the U.S. ultrasound market over the next three years, according to a study conducted by Datamonitor, a market analysis firm specializing in the medical equipment and healthcare industries. Ultrasound

MRI developer Intermagnetics General has sued GE Medical Systems to prevent an employee from joining GE. In the lawsuit filed Oct. 18 in the Supreme State Court of Albany (NY), Intermagnetics is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction stopping

Video Display resurrects MegaScan high-resolution monitorsNew models to feature digital controls and brighter displaysVideo monitor vendor Video Display continues to ramp up efforts to recapture the market share once held by MegaScan, a

AccuImage names Taylor as new CEORobert Taylor has been appointed CEO of AccuImage, a South San Francisco, CA-based developer of 3-D and 4-D post-processing and connectivity software for PACS and other medical imaging applications. Taylor,

Siemens and Philips collaborate on new imaging standardCORBAmed service to enhance access to images and EPRsTwo formidable PACS competitors have joined forces to help advance a common cause: interoperability. In response to a request for

ISG Technologies changes name to CedaraPACS and image-guided surgery firm ISG Technologies has changed its name. Now called Cedara Software, the Mississauga, ON-based firm has embarked on a worldwide corporate branding campaign intended to

Lumisys targets small-scale niche with bundled miniPACS/CR deviceFirm will establish direct sales force to market iLuminatorThe growing interest in PACS among small hospitals, clinics, and private practices has prompted the introduction

Rorke Data markets Sony high-capacity tape libraries for PACSAIT stores more high-bandwidth images per tapeThe growing trend toward integration of healthcare information and clinical imaging systems in the form of electronic patient

Kodak elects to shut down ultrasound miniPACS businessCompany banks on Cemax-Icon enterprise PACSFollowing unsuccessful attempts to divest its ultrasound miniPACS operations, Eastman Kodak has opted to close this business and focus on its