AUSTIN, TX - This week's Society for Computer Applications in Radiology (SCAR) meeting has been a busy one for multimodality vendor Philips Medical Systems. The Andover, MA, firm signed an agreement for CAD software with EDDA Technology of Princeton, NJ, and finalized its acquisition of cardiology image and information management firm Witt Biomedical of Melbourne, FL.
In the EDDA deal, Philips wins exclusive global rights to the company's IQQA-Chest software, which is designed to analyze digital radiography chest images and highlight suspicious lesions for radiologists. EDDA received 510(k) clearance for the software in 2004.
IQQA-Chest can detect lung nodules from 5-15 mm, and users of the software have achieved sensitivity rates of over 85% in detecting small nodules, compared to detection rates of 35% to 65% without the software.
The software also goes beyond simply adding CAD marks to images by providing radiologists with interactive image viewing tools for reading x-ray lung images. Users can perform window-level, zoom, and scroll functions, and can apply filters to images. The software can be used for primary image review on monitors with appropriate resolution, the companies said.
IQQA-Chest will be available in combination with Philips' entire portfolio of digital radiography systems, including its DigitalDiagnost units. It will be offered initially as a standalone workstation, but future software versions will be available for integration into a PACS network. The software is currently available in the U.S. and China, with shipments to the rest of the world scheduled for 2007.
On the healthcare IT side, Philips announced the completion of its acquisition of Witt for $165 million. With the deal completed, Philips will begin integrating Witt's hemodynamics features into Philips' PACS software for a single solution that offers hemodynamics, image management, and reporting.
Philips is also touting the first shipments of its Xtenity RIS and Xtenity Enterprise software developed through a joint venture with Epic Systems of Madison, WI. Philips is planning to begin releasing software like Xtenity RIS in modules that will enable them to build up into an entire hospital information system (HIS).
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
April 28, 2006
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EDDA gets FDA nod for chest software, November 22, 2004
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