Enterprise Imaging

Enterprise imaging brings together all imaging exams, patient data and reports from across a healthcare system into one location to aid efficiency and economy of scale for data storage. This enables immediate access to images and reports any clinical user of the electronic medical record (EMR) across a healthcare system, regardless of location. Enterprise imaging (EI) systems replace the former system of using a variety of disparate, siloed picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), and a variety of separate, dedicated workstations and logins to view or post-process different imaging modalities. Often these siloed systems cannot interoperate and cannot easily be connected. Web-based EI systems are becoming the standard across most healthcare systems to incorporate not only radiology, but also cardiology (CVIS), pathology and dozens of other departments to centralize all patient data into one cloud-based data storage and data management system.

Compuware buys dynaTrace for $256M

Compuware has acquired privately held application performance management developer  dynaTrace software for $256 million in a cash acquisition that closed July 1.

NeuroTherm buys ArthroCare's spine line

NeuroTherm purchased the Parallax and Contour product lines used in interventional spine procedures from ArthroCare. The Parallax products have been used for vertebroplasty and Contour has been developed for cavity creation.

Olympus acquires endoscope maker

Olympus acquired all shares of the Stoughton, Mass.-based endoscope insertion device manufacturer Spirus Medical.

Sectra and Electromek expand RIS/PACS distribution deal

Sectra has signed an agreement with its distribution partner Electromek Diagnostic Systems to expand the sales coverage area for RIS/PACS platforms into two states: Missouri and Illinois.

Sectra nabs two Dutch RIS/PACS deals

Radiology and orthopedic IT company Sectra has secured orders for PACS and RIS upgrades for two Dutch hospitals in multi-year deals.

WellStar to deploy Agfa systems

WellStar Health System of Atlanta has selected Agfa HealthCare's Impax RIS and reporting systems, which will be implemented this year.

Israeli health system taps Carestream for digital workflow

Clalit Health Services, which consists of 12 hospitals and 40 imaging centers, has deployed Carestream Health's Vue PACS and Vue Archive.

Vital releases Vitrea Enterprise Suite 6.1

Vital, part of the Toshiba Medical Systems Group, has released Vitrea Enterprise Suite Version 6.1.

Around the web

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.