Coverage of Corporate News and Updates

Agfa HealthCare

Agfa HealthCare Selected by Heilig Hartziekenhuis Mol in Belgium

Agfa HealthCare has announced that the Heilig Hartziekenhuis Mol hospital in Belgium has awarded it a significant contract to unify its medical workflow through the company's ORBIS(TM) solution. ORBIS is Agfa HealthCare's integrated Hospital and Clinical Information System (HIS/CIS), specifically designed to manage the entire patient-centric information flow through all hospital departments.

Agfa HealthCare's ORBIS solution will provide the Heilig Hartziekenhuis Mol hospital with a comprehensive view of clinical information processes, including medical and nursing records, scheduling, order management, results reporting and medication workflow. The hospital has worked with Agfa HealthCare since 2003, using its PACS/RIS solution.

Kodak

Kodak Launches New Imaging Agent Product Line

Eastman Kodak Company’s Molecular Imaging Systems group announced the introduction of KODAK X-Sight imaging agents, a novel line of imaging agents for in vivo molecular imaging applications.

In vivo molecular imaging allows noninvasive measurement of biological processes within a living organism. In contrast to conventional diagnostic imaging that highlights conditions caused by disease, molecular imaging identifies molecular abnormalities that are the origin of disease at a very early stage, which can expedite the development of treatment options that could help cure that disease. X-Sight imaging agents are non-toxic, making them safe for research studies in areas such as oncology, cardiology, diabetes, and inflammation.

Siemens

Siemens Offer New Colour Display

Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) has added a 1 Megapixel colour display to its portfolio of monitors in the medical field. The SCD 19110 offers high luminance of up to 300 cd/m2 (candelas per square meter) and a contrast ratio of 1000:1.

The 19" display is suitable for hospital information systems (HIS) and radiology information systems (RIS) as well as for review of medical images. The MVA (multi-domain ver tical alignment) panel technology used on the SCD 19110 ensures a fast response time for gray-scale images and a wide viewing angle. This allows several persons to view the contents of the display simultaneously.

Philips

Philips Medical Systems to Supply Sixteen Radiotherapy Workstations to Royal Preston Hospital

The workstations, which are a mixture of eight Philips’ Pinnacle3 radiation therapy planning systems and eight Philips Pinnacle3 PC-based workstations (P3PC), will replace existing systems at the Rosemere Cancer Foundation, part of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust. With Philips’ P3PC emulation soft-ware, the Window’s-based computer becomes a Philips’ Pinnacle3 workstation with access to all Pinnacle3 functionality. The P3PC workstation uses the same intuitive interface as Pinnacle3, facilitating the transition from the standard Pinnacle3.

Also selected was the Pukka-j solution, which offers a ‘niche’ solution for the integration of radiotherapy into radiology- designed PACS systems. The Pukka-j Radiotherapy Archive collates and distributes all DICOM data related to radiotherapy patients who are currently undergoing treatment planning and treatment delivery processes. The data is acquired and stored in a combination of DICOM studies and DICOM series that preserves any logical relationship between them. In addition, the system fully supports and maintains the RT cross references required for treatment planning for the following DICOM RT classes objects; Image – CT, DR, RT Structure Set, RT Plan, RT Dose, RT Image.

Shimadzu

Shimadzu Launches Sarano Ultrasound System

Shimadzu has launched a new ultrasound system. Sarano incorporates a next-generation digital beam former that offers ten times greater processing speed and uses Digital Balanced Transfer technology for noiseless digital data processing. It allows superior digital transfer and accurate display of acquired large-scale image information. The high frame rate, accurate focusing, high dynamic range, and highfrequency support provide highly reliable, high-definition diagnostic images. their US service and support organisation for the installation, application, training and maintenance of the Stryker High Definition Digital Radiography (HDDR) systems.

Hologic

Hologic Launches Suros Celero™ for the Breast Ultrasound Market

Suros Surgical Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Hologic, Inc. has announced the commercial launch of the Suros Celero™ - the first U.S. FDA-cleared spring loaded, vacuum assisted core biopsy device for the breast ultrasound market. With the option of firing inside or outside the breast, the device is designed to access hard-to-reach lesions in the axilla, near the chest wall, near implants or behind the nipple.

The lightweight design of the handheld Celero and its highly echogenic needle provide smooth penetration to lesions while reducing deflection and offer a clearly visible aperture location for target verification under ultrasound imaging prior to tissue acquisition. Celero securely holds the tissue sample in place while acquiring large cores.

“Early Celero clinical findings show that only two to three samples are needed for a diagnosis and DCIS [ductal carcinoma in situ] staging with only two samples,” said Paige Huber MD, a radiologist with AnMed Health, a healthcare provider in Anderson, South Carolina. “While many physicians are accustomed to 6 - 10 needle insertions for spring loaded core biopsies, Celero needs only 2 - 3 insertions to gain the same results.

Stryker

Stryker Imaging to Sell Swissray DR Systems

Swissray International, Inc. Has announced a 5-year agreement with the imaging division of StrykerCorporation, a leader in the worldwide orthopaedic market and one of the world’s largest medical device companies. Stryker direct sales force will sell the Swissray DR systems into the US orthopaedic private practice market under the Stryker brand name HDDR. Swissray will utilise their US service and support organisation for the installation, application, training and maintenance of the Stryker High Definition Digital Radiography (HDDR) systems.

Medtronic

Medtronic to Buy Breakway Imaging

Medtronic has exercised its option to acquire the O-arm Imaging System assets of Breakaway Imaging LLC.The acquisition brings the O-arm Imaging System which received FDA clearance in 2005, into a broad portfolio of image-guided surgical solutions within the navigation business at Medtronic. The financial terms of the agreement, which is expected to close in June, are not being disclosed.

The O-arm Imaging System, with a breakable gantry and flat screen detector, provides multi-dimensional surgical imaging. It provides surgeons with 3D images, as well as multi-plane 2D, and fluoroscopic imaging. It is intended for use in orthopaedic surgical procedures in use in more than twenty locations worldwide.

Hologic

Hologic & Cytyc to Merge

Hologic, Inc. and Cytyc Corporation have announced a definitive agreement to combine their two companies in a cash and stock transaction to create a $10 billion global leader in women’s healthcare.The transaction is expected to be completed in the third calendar quarter of 2007.

The new company will be called Hologic and upon closing, Cytyc will become a wholly-owned subsidiary. Hologic will be one of the largest companies in the world focused exclusively on advanced technology in women’s health and will have direct operations in over twenty countries with more than 3,300 employees.

Planar

Planar, NVIDIA Partner on Advanced Visualisation

Planar Systems Inc. has partnered with NVIDIA Corporation, to bundle the NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions with Planar’s Dome diagnostic and clinical medical displays. Planar said its new dual-link Dome displays can be utilised with NVIDIA’s Quadro technology to provide high-end 3D rendering performance and to maximise refresh rates. Planar’s line of diagnostic displays will be offered with NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics tools as an option to boost visual detail and resolution.

Planar and NVIDIA also said they plan to synchronise their product development cycles, providing customers with the latest in NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics technology through the Planar Dome display line. Additionally, because NVIDIA provides extended life cycles on the Quadro line, users with both qualified configurations will have access beyond the typical availability in addition to enhanced technical support.

GE

GE Files Suit Against SonoSite Over Ultrasound Patents

General Electric Company has hit SonoSite with a patent infringement lawsuit over a dispute involving five different patents. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, and alleges that SonoSite's MicroMaxx and Titan products willfully infringe GE's U.S. patents (Nos. 4,932,415; 5,584,294; 6,120,447; 6,210,327; and 6,418,225), each relating to ultrasound technology.

In the suit, GE is seeking an unspecified amount in monetary damages as well as an injunction against SonoSite to keep the company from utilising the technology.

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