Medison buys majority interestin Austrian firm Kretztechnik
May 22nd 19963-D ultrasound scanner awaits U.S. clearanceKorean ultrasound manufacturer Medison has purchased a 60% interestin Austrian 3-D ultrasound developer Kretztechnik AG. The purchaseshould give Kretztechnik the staying power to weather what hasbeen
Pennsylvania Blue Shield launches MRI center certification program
May 22nd 1996Toshiba protests alleged low-field restrictionsFed up with paying top dollar for what it says are inferior MRIservices, Blue Shield of Pennsylvania has implemented an accreditationprogram that will soon determine which freestanding and mobileMRI
Fonar returns to profitability in third quarter
May 22nd 1996MRI vendor Fonar is back in the black for the first time sinceMarch 1994. The Melville, NY, company posted financial resultsfor its third fiscal quarter (end-March) that show net incomeof $1.9 million, compared with a net loss of $903,000 in the
GE upgrades Logiq 700 ultrasound scanner with Chicago release of Maximum Resolution
May 8th 1996Did Milwaukee vendor try to steal Acuson's Sequoia thunder?GE Medical Systems has served notice that it is ready to keeppace with the leaders in the innovation-intensive ultrasound industry.The Milwaukee vendor on April 27 debuted a new
New Siemens consulting division targets healthcare efficiency
May 8th 1996Vendor hires GE executive to run new programMultimodality vendor Siemens Medical Systems has formed a newdivision called Siemens Managed Healthcare Services to offer businessconsulting services to radiology departments and hospitals
Toshiba and Mayo settle MRI patent suit
May 8th 1996Toshiba America Medical Systems of Tustin, CA, and the Mayo Foundationfor Medical Education and Research of Rochester, MN, have settledlitigation relating to an MRI artifact-suppression patent grantedto Mayo in 1987. Mayo filed the suit against Toshiba
FDA proposes final regulations for Mammography Quality Standards Act
May 8th 1996New rules do not guarantee boom in device salesThe Food and Drug Administration last month unveiled its proposedfinal regulations as required by the Mammography Quality StandardsAct (SCAN 12/15/93). The rules are intended to replace
Toshiba starts shipments of Aspire CI
May 8th 1996Toshiba America Medical Systems of Tustin, CA, has begun marketingits Aspire CI (continuous imaging) interventional package forthe top-of-the-line Xpress/SX CT scanner. The package, which wasintroduced as a work-in-progress at last year's Radiological
Trex Medical to build R/F businessthrough plan to buy Continental X-Ray
April 24th 1996Trex also lays groundwork for forthcoming public offeringTrex Medical's pending acquisition of Continental X-Ray is thelatest move in Trex's ongoing drive to become the dominant independentx-ray company. Chances are it won't be the last
Varian and Toshiba extend CT tube deal
April 24th 1996Varian Associates and Toshiba have extended their CT x-ray tubesupply deal for another three years. Under the new deal, Varian'sx-ray tube plant in Salt Lake City will supply Toshiba with severalthousand tubes, with the total value of the agreement
Fonar settles patent suit with Philips
April 10th 1996Philips Medical Systems has apparently decided that the path ofleast resistance is the wisest course to take in MRI patent litigationwith Fonar. Fonar said last month that it has settled a lawsuitfiled last year charging the Dutch vendor with infringing
Toshiba raises stakes in open MRI with debut of cryogen-free supercon
April 10th 1996Japanese vendor mulls sales of Opart in U.S.The open MRI segment has been one of the few bright spots in anotherwise battered MRI industry, with vendors reporting strongcustomer interest in the moderate price and non-claustrophobicconfigurations