Florida-based healthcare organization Metropolitan Health Networks and primary care physician services provider Continucare have entered a definitive merger agreement under which Metropolitan will acquire Continucare in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $416 million at the time of announcement.

Researchers with the NASA-funded National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) in Houston have developed a guide aimed at enabling astronauts to administer and interpret their own ultrasound exams from space, with the groups experimental research reverberating to rural practices back on the ground as well.

Ultrasound manufacturer Hitachi Aloka Medical is planning to centralize its U.S. business in Wallingford, Conn., where it will conduct all sales, service, marketing and clinical applications support of Aloka American ultrasound equipment and Hitachi ultrasound systems.

The Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) offered a peer-to-peer insight into Hunterdon Healthcare Systems three-stage plan for nationwide interoperability and central repository for medical images.

PACS has transformed radiology. But as more imaging-based specialties jump on the bandwagon and adopt or customize their own versions of PACS, many in radiology are reporting more problems with PACS. Health Imaging & IT spoke with radiologists and administrators to compile and address the 10 most vexing challenges.

Sectra has signed a distribution agreement with McBrothers, a medical technology company based in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Luminex Corporation has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held EraGen Biosciences.

Infinitt North America has launched an integration platform that unifies the viewing of radiological studies and simplifies reading/reporting workflow across multi-facility, multi-PACS reading environments.