Former LSI managers open imaging services firm

The entire top management staff of LINC Scientific Imaging hasleft Mobile Technology (MTI), the world's largest mobile imagingfirm. LINC Scientific Imaging was sold by its parent company,LINC, to MTI of Los Angeles earlier this year (SCAN 12/12/90).

The mobile executives opted to stay together and form a newimaging services company, Signal Medical Services of Farmington,CT, said Barry E. O'Brien, president and CEO. LSI was also basedin Farmington.

The executives have non-compete agreements with MTI that preventthem from soliciting business from former LSI customers untilMarch of next year. They are brewing big plans, however, mostlyin fixed-site rather than mobile imaging.

Signal is negotiating with a major financial institution thathas raised nearly $60 million to develop magnetic resonance imagingcenters, O'Brien said. His company would like to manage thoseMRI centers.

The imaging services firm was incorporated in April. All ofthe top LSI executives have maintained their former positionsin the new company. In addition to O'Brien, these include:

• Brian P. Stone, vice president of finance and CFO;
  
• Thomas W. Crucitti, vice president of operations; and
  
• Todd D. Stowell, vice president of sales and marketing.

While Signal's strategic plan includes mobile imaging, thecompany expects to place primary emphasis on fixed-site MRI servicesin partnership with hospitals or on a fee-per-scan basis. Trendsin the imaging market spell sluggish opportunities in mobile services,O'Brien said.

"It is our belief that the mission of mobile MRI has beenlargely fulfilled. We see equipment today costing 25% to 30% ofwhat it cost just three years ago. That is bringing a lot of newplayers into fixed-site imaging," he said.

Signal will venture into mobile routes only when it is fairlycertain of the potential for longevity and sufficient volume,he said. The firm is actively investigating possibilities in anothermobile imaging modality, however. Signal is talking with a positronemission tomography vendor and a cyclotron manufacturer aboutcollaborating in the provision of mobile PET services.

"We believe that, because of its high cost and relativelynarrow band of clinical applications, PET is an ideal technologyfor mobile services," O'Brien said.