Carestream’s New Ultra-Portable X-ray
Carestream announced the US launch and upcoming global expansion of the DRX-Revolution Nano Mobile X-ray System. The new lower-cost device is highlighted by its low 220 lb weight and small size, which are attributed in part to its Carbon Nano Tube technology. The new model expands Carestream’s mobile X-ray portfolio, positioned below the related DRX-Revolution Mobile X-ray System. Although not mentioned in the press release, Caresteam marketers had some fun with the DRX-Revolution Nano’s product page, associating its various selling points with the traits of different animals (chipmunk, grasshopper, cheetah, owl, elephant). Even though medical imaging is serious business, Carestream gets points from the Imaging Wire team for finding a creative way to articulate the line’s strengths.

FDA Clears New Siemens SOMATOM go CT Scanners
Siemens Healthineers’ 64-slice SOMATOM go.All and 128-slice SOMATOM go.Top single source / 0.33-second CT scanners received FDA clearance. Although still focused on less-demanding or limited-budget environments, the SOMATOM go.All and SOMATOM go.Top represent higher-end additions to the tablet-controlled SOMATOM go lineup. The new SOMATOM go scanners support tablet-based mobile workflows similar to existing go models, while adding higher-end scanning capabilities such as cardiac scanning and CT-guided interventional procedures.

Olympus Partnership with InterSystems for Endoscope Interoperability
Olympus signed a partnership with InterSystems that will make InterSystems’ HealthShare image management and sharing system available as part of Olympus’ Knowledge Exchange System. The combined solution will eliminate the need to transfer images to external devices to share with patients and other providers, allowing Olympus to transfer endoscopic images directly to EMRs.

Avante Expands Midwest MRI & CT Capabilities with EMS Partnership
Growing national imaging company Avante Health Solutions announced a partnership with midwest MIR and CT reseller and service provider Equipment Maintenance Solutions (EMS). Through the “partnership” (which seems more like an acquisition), products and services from the Avante family of companies will be made available to EMS’ clients while also bolstering the company’s funding and geographic reach. EMS is the seventh company to join Avante’s portfolio of companies as Avante works to achieve a nationwide presence and comprehensive imaging product and service portfolio.

The Wire

• Canon Medical Systems Europe signed a reseller agreement with Swedish medical device company, Arcoma, allowing Canon Europe to expand its diagnostic x-ray lineup by selling Arcoma’s high-end Aceso and Aceso+ systems.

• Cincinnati’s TriHealth hospital system signed a $10 million enterprise imaging deal with IBM Watson Health, adopting a portion of IBM’s Enterprise Imaging Portfolio with the goals of updating its PACS, enhancing workflow, and improving the overall efficiency and quality of its imaging operations.

• FUJIFILM SonoSite launched two new iViz point-of-care ultrasound transducers: the SonoSite L25v for superficial applications (ophthalmic, arterial, venous, lung, and nerve) and SonoSite C60 for deeper applications (abdominal and obstetrics).

• The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies revealed significant 10-year installed base growth among most medical imaging devices in the country with strong growth from MRI scanners (+65% to 366 units), CT scanners (+35% to 561 units), and PET/CT scanners (+143% to 51 units), with a slight decline of installed SPECT and SPECT/CT systems (-3% to 591 units).

• Sotera Health will sell the medical isotopes segment of its Nordion business to a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, transferring its radiochemical, medical isotope, and contract manufacturing operations.

• Varian announced the addition of kV Cone-beam CT (CBCT) and Iterative CBCT imaging technologies to its Halcyon 2.0 image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy system, allowing improved soft tissue definition.

• According to Research and Markets, the global medical equipment maintenance market is expected to maintain a 7.6% CAGR from 2018 to 2025 when it reaches $48.25 billion, due to an increased focus on preventative maintenance and a shift towards refurbished systems.

• Signify Research forecast that the global ultrasound market will grow by 5.1% in 2018 (vs. 3.2% last year), largely due to pent-up demand in the US following the failed ACA repeal and high demand in India.

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