News archive
February 2008
3mensio receives US clearance for vascular imaging
software
3mensio Medical Imaging BV of the Netherlands has received US FDA 510(k)
clearance to market its 3surgery vascular imaging software in the US.
29 February 2008
Leica Microsystems expands
electron microscopy business
Leica Microsystems (Wetzlar) has taken over Bal-Tec AG of Liechtenstein, a
producer of instruments for sample preparation in scanning electron
microscopy. 29 February 2008
Microsoft launches US fund to promote development
of HealthVault applications
Microsoft Corp has launched the $3 million Microsoft HealthVault Be Well
Fund to stimulate the research and development of online tools for its
health application platform, HealthVault. The fund is aimed at stimulating
solution development across a broad range of health disciplines. 28 February
2008
ICON acquires US clinical testing facilities
with acquisition of Healthcare Discoveries
Ireland-based ICON has acquired Healthcare Discoveries from Catalyst Pharma
Group for an initial US$12m. The acquisition gives ICON an 85-bed clinical
pharmacology testing facility in Texas. 28 February 2008
Smiths Medical to distribute Life-Tech’s
nerve-stimulating catheters
Smiths Medical will distribute the catheters as an addition to their current
line of peripheral nerve-block products. Stimulating catheters are used for
continuous peripheral nerve blocks in orthopaedic procedures to the shoulder
and knee. 28 February 2008
Agfa, InterComponentWare and Sun form Open eHealth
Foundation to boost interoperability
The ehealth market is set for explosive growth, driven by growing challenges
to healthcare systems in industrialized societies, as well as new medical
information and communication technologies. The Open eHealth Foundation will
provide software components under an Open Source license that will boost the
open standards-based exchange of medical information. 27 February 2008
Philips re-structures healthcare informatics
business
Royal Philips Electronics has restructured its
healthcare informatics businesses to include its entire portfolio of
clinical information solutions, including patient monitoring, enterprise and
clinical image management, anaesthesia information, women’s health
information, and cardiology information systems. 27 February
Touch Bionics expands in US to meet demand for prosthetic hand
Scottish company Touch Bionics, developer of the world’s first
commercially available bionic hand, has set up a US subsidiary, Touch
Bionics, Inc. to help meet the growing demand for its revolutionary
prosthetic hand. This followed the opening of a new headquarters and
manufacturing facility in Scotland in January. 27 February 2008
Computers better at diagnosing Alzheimer's disease
from MR scans of the brain
A study led by scientists at the Wellcome Trust Centre
for Neuroimaging at University College London has shown that computers can
be cheaper, faster and more accurate than experts at identifying signs of
Alzheimers from MR scans of the brain. 27 February 2008
Cambridge research team close to breakthrough in repairing spinal
injuries
The Centre for Brain Repair research team believes it is close to a clinical
treatment that could allow nerve fibres to regenerate within the spinal cord
and also encourage remaining nerve fibres to work more effectively. 21 February 2008
Siemens launches MR & CT innovations in UK
Siemens launched its latest CT and MRI imaging products in the UK. A
high-field 3T MRI system, the Magnetom Verio and an adaptable single-source
CT, the Somatom Definition AS, have been designed to offer advanced imaging
functionality at a viable capital cost for the UK health marketplace. 21
February 2008
Surgical
navigation robots improve hip surgery training
A pilot study at Imperial College, London has shown that a surgical
navigation robot could improve hip surgery and help end painful repeat hip
operations. The new robot made medical undergraduates three times more
accurate during practice hip operations. 20 February 2008
Radiologists feel virtual organs with 3D mouse
Researchers at Uppsala University have developed a method of analysing
images of organs and 'feeling' the resulting virtual organs with a 3D mouse.
This can help construct three-dimensional models of organs when
surgery or radiation treatment is being planned. 20 February 2008
Ultrasound detection of emboli in brain during
surgery reduces stroke rates
Surgeons at the University of Leicester have developed a new technique to
detect emboli that has helped reduce stroke rates during and after a form of
heart surgery. 20 February 2008
Chest to distribute Aerocrine airway
inflammation detector in Japan
Swedish airway products company Aerocrine AB has entered into a distribution
agreement with Chest MI Inc to market and sell Aerocrine's Niox Mino in
Japan. 20 February 2008
DNA test for assessing
risk of prostate cancer
deCODE genetics has launched a test that can identify genetic markers
associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. The company believes the
test will better predict the risk of prostate cancer and help to optimize
both screening and treatment. 20 February 2008
Royal Marsden Hospital completes world's first
VMAT radiotherapy treatment
The Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, UK, successfully completed the first
volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) radiation treatment for cancer in
the world using a commercial product. 18 February 2008
Medrad and Possis Medical to merge
Bayer HealthCare affiliate Medrad, Inc and Possis Medical, Inc. have
announced that they have agreed to merge in a deal worth about US$361
million. The merger is seen as combining complementary cardiology products:
Medrad's contrast injection systems and Possis Medical's mechanical
thrombectomy devices. 18 February 2008
US representatives call for more funding for
prostate cancer research
Prostate cancer has become more common than breast cancer, yet advanced
diagnostic imaging technologies comparable to mammograms remain unavailable.
Over 20 US representatives have urged the US Department of Health and Human
Services and National Institutes of Health to urgently fund research into
the disease. 18 February 2008
European Commission sponsors study on
regulating nanotechnology in the EU and US
The EC has awarded US$587,000 to a group of US and UK institutes, headed by
the London School of Economics and Political Science, to compare
nanotechnology regulation in the EU and US and assist a unified approach to
regulation. 18 February 2008
Nonlinear Dynamics
and UVP sign image analysis software distribution agreement
The agreement covers the promotion and supply of Nonlinear’s SameSpots image
analysis software through UVP’s direct sales force and worldwide distributor
network. 18 February 2008
St Jude Medical announces clinical study of
deep brain stimulation for depression
St Jude Medical will begin enrollment in a clinical study of electrical
stimulation of the brain's Brodmann area 25 for treating major depressive
disorder in patients for whom currently-available treatments are not
effective. 16 February 2008
Unilever extends collaboration with
Transinsight in biomedical semantic searching
Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer products companies, will
continue working with German search technology company Transinsight in
developing a semantic search solution to integrate internet and intranet
searching. 15 February
Great Ormond Street
Hospital opens innovative new diagnostic imaging centre for children
The new facility has been developed to provide a state-of-the-art diagnostic
imaging and interventional treatment service whilst ensuring comfort for its
young patients. 15 February 2008
iSOFT expands in Russian lab systems market
iSOFT Deutschland has strengthened its position in Russia with a partnership
agreement with Moscow-based company ML Park to distribute and support
iSOFT's laboratory information system (LIS) LabCentre. 15 February 2008
Leica Microsystems acquires
Cell Analysis and Life Optics
Cell Analysis develops microscope image analysis software for histopathology
while Life Optics makes head-mounted optical systems for surgery and
dentistry. 15 February 2008
Acrongenomics targets Molecular Vision's
microfluidics point-of-care diagnostics devices
Swiss technology investment group Acrongenomics, Inc. (OTCBB:AGNM), has
announced an agreement with with Molecular Vision and The Imperial Venture
Fund to acquire Molecular Vision by the end of the first quarter this year.
15 February 2008
Elekta signs brachytherapy sales sharing
agreement with Xoft
Elekta will share identified sales opportunities for Xoft's Axxent electonic
brachytherapy system in the radiation oncology market. The companies will
also explore other areas of collaboration. 8 February 2008
Taking nanotechnology from lab to factory
An EU-funded 'network of excellence' has helped micro and nanotechnology
make it from the laboratory to the factory. The Design for Micro & Nano
Manufacture (Patent-DfMM) network involved teams from the fields of
packaging, test engineering, reliability engineering, simulation and
modelling. 8 February 2008
Medtronic partners
with MediGuide to develop surgical navigational products
MediGuide has signed an agreement with Medtronic for co-development of
medical positioning system- (MPS) enabled products. The agreement is based
on providing Medtronic products with MediGuide's GPS-like (MPS) navigation
capabilities to enhance various procedures. 8 February 2008
Miniaturised patient monitor from Welch Allyn
The PropaqLT is a highly intuitive patient monitor that can communicate with
any Windows 2000/XP PC via a USB port, allowing healthcare professionals to
customise parameters and print tabular trends and snapshots of patient data.
5 February 2008
Call for European transnational
research proposals in nanoscience
Nanoscience Europe has announced a call for proposals for nanoscience
research funding in Europe. A minimum of €16m will be distributed for the
funding of innovative high-quality projects. 5 February 2008
Smart holograms
help self-diagnosis for patients
Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes,
cardiac problems, kidney disorders or high blood pressure could benefit from
the development of sensors made from a new type of hologram. 4 February 2008
Axon Lab to distribute iSOFT lab system in Switzerland
German company
Axon Lab AG, a service provider for diagnostics and molecular
biology in Austria, Germany and Switzerland has become a distribution
partner for iSOFT's laboratory solution, LabCentre. 4 February 2008
US offers industry voluntary submission of
nanotechnology hazards
Industry, non-governmental organizations and other groups in the US can
voluntarily submit safety data on engineered nanoscale materials under the
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plan for the Nanoscale Materials
Stewardship Program under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 1
February 2008
iPods cleared of interfering with cardiac
pacemakers
A study by the US Food and Drug Administration has refuted claims that
portable music players, such as Apple's iPod, interfere with cardiac
pacemakers. The study is reported in the open access journal BioMedical
Engineering OnLine. 1 February 2008
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