Morgan Stanley Predicts High Healthcare M&A Activity in 2018
The US healthcare industry was highlighted in a recent Morgan Stanley post on the top M&A trends across all industries. The Wall Street firm noted that $39 billion in US healthcare acquisitions occurred in January alone, the fastest start in over a decade, adding that this pace should continue throughout 2018. Morgan Stanley cited access to inexpensive financing, pricing pressures, fierce competition, and the continued entry of large technology companies as key contributors to this trend.

Canon Aplio i600 Ultrasounds Get FDA Clearance
Canon announced the FDA clearance of its entry-level Aplio i600 ultrasound system, continuing the company’s notable momentum in the ultrasound space since folding Toshiba under the Canon Medical System name earlier this year. The Aplio i600 follows the FDA clearance of the Aplio i900 Premium earlier this month and represents a lineup-expanding addition, improving Canon’s support for clients with space and cost limitations.

Samsung Launches RS85A Ultrasound System
Samsung NeuroLogica announced the FDA 510k clearance of its RS85A ultrasound, expanding the high end of the vendor’s general imaging ultrasound portfolio. The RS85A launches with many of the features found in the current RS80A, but still touts a number of improvements including added VM-Flow (Doppler alternative for slow-flow micro vascularized structures), an enhanced monitor arm, and a streamlined interface.

Medical Imaging, the Hot New Security Target
A pair of reports emerged suggesting that medical imaging technologies are vulnerable to cyberattacks. GE’s imaging lines had the honor of being specifically named vulnerable in a recent Department of Homeland Security alert after an independent researcher notified the DHS of risks from default or hardcoded credentials that could allow hackers to gain control of the systems. While GE works to shore up its security, a separate report from McAfee found that a range of medical imaging technologies (particularly PACS) are “highly vulnerable” to cyberattacks, counting 267 publicly reported healthcare incidents in 2016 and 2017, and blaming facilities’ insufficient security practices for most of the vulnerabilities.

AI Developer Behold.AI Acquired, Targeting European Growth
Simon Rasalingham, founder of UK teleradiology provider Medica Group, acquired Wisconsin-based imaging AI software company Behold.AI, which identifies abnormalities in medical images to support radiologist accuracy and efficiency. Behold.AI’s Red Dot software has CE certification, allowing sales in Europe, and the company is preparing to apply for 510k clearance in the US.

The Wire

• The Oregon legislature denied an amendment that would have allowed advanced practice nurses to perform and supervise medical imaging procedures, following strong opposition from the Oregon Society of Radiologic Technologists.

• Physical resource management provider, Accruent, acquired medical device equipment software company, Connectiv, expanding its HTM capabilities.

• German robotics manufacturer, Kuka, received a “single-digit million euro” order from Siemens for robots that will be used to move X-ray C-arms directly around patients. The two companies have partnered for several years.

• UK-based MRI technology company, MR Solutions, launched a new gradient coil upgrade service for preclinical MRI imaging systems, intended to improve magnet capability and system performance.

• Advantis Medical Imaging received the CE mark for its Brainance MD cloud-based neuroimaging software, allowing the software to be used in clinical workflows for the advanced processing of Brain MR images.

• Queue the pain in the neck puns. A recent study from the JACR found that the popularity of PACS is creating increased rates of musculoskeletal injuries among radiologists, with neck pain reported by 25% of radiologists and lower back pain reported by 32%.

• Florida, Utah, and Washington joined 29 other states to require that patients are informed of their breast density after a mammogram.

• Novarad signed a PACS contract with Cozad Community Hospital of Cozad, Nebraska, citing Novarad’s convenience and pricing advantages as key influences.

• Massachusetts General Hospital researchers developed a machine learning and AI-based technique, called AUTOMAP, that may create higher quality images with less data, reducing CT and PET scan radiation.

• ViewRay’s MRIdian Linac MRI-guided radiation therapy system gained Shonin approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

The Resource Wire

• Agfa whitepaper on augmented intelligence and intelligent workflows
• Caresteam video interview details Clinical Collaboration Platform success story
• Canon and Toshiba publish “New Horizons in Ultrasound” report
• Fujifilm video outlines its women’s health solutions
• GE video overview on Centricity Universal Viewer
• IBM Watson post highlights client success at The Iowa Clinic
• Konica Minolta publishes latest Kontours issue
• Olympus webinar on bringing endoscopic ultrasound to community hospitals
• Olympus video on the benefits of using CO2 in endoscopy
• Philips article highlights pediatric radiology innovations
• Philips video highlights its radiology solutions at ECR 2018
• Philips article on managing cybersecurity risks in healthcare
• Siemens video on digitalizing healthcare in radiology
• Siemens and the HBR’s perspective on transforming care delivery
• Siemens and the HBR paper on “The Power of Digitalizing Healthcare”
• Siemens video on expanding precision medicine with BioMatrix technology