Marconi cuts deal for cardiac software

Medis Medical Imaging and Marconi Medical Systems are collaborating on the development and commercialization of software for processing and quantifying cardiac MR images.

The focus of this effort, unveiled at the end of January, is MRI-Mass, a cardiac analysis package that has already achieved some popularity among clinical users as a means for assessing the heart. The software package will be integrated with Marconi's Eclipse and, pending FDA clearance, Infinion MRI scanners.

Once initiated, either at the console or a dedicated workstation, MRI-Mass performs automated or user-guided edge detection of endocardial and epicardial surfaces. The resulting wall contour data are then used to calculate dynamic heart parameters, including myocardial mass and volume, ejection fraction, stroke volume, and regional wall thickness and wall motion. Specialized software provides 3-D display of ventricular surfaces color-coded to represent wall motion or wall thickness. Multiple report formats are provided for online review or optional hard-copy output.

Marconi executives have indicated that cardiac MRI is one of the most important areas of growth for the modality. The partnership with Medis will allow Marconi to concentrate efforts on core MRI capabilities, while providing a seamless analysis package to customers. Medis receives wider commercialization and collaboration in the further development of the software.