GE expands extremity MRI capabilities with ONI purchase

Image source: ONI Medical Systems
GE Healthcare has entered into an agreement to purchase certain assets of Wilmington, Mass.-based musculoskeletal MRI developer ONI Medical Systems.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

ONI's portfolio includes the extremity imaging systems, MSK Extreme 1.0T and MSK Extreme 1.5T. Both devices feature a small footprint, an open configuration, and allow the patient's arm or leg only to be inside the bore during the exam.

Both the MSK Extreme 1.0T and MSK Extreme 1.5T systems have been marketed to healthcare providers in hospitals, imaging centers and orthopedic or sports medicine practices where there is a need for an anatomy-specific MRI unit.

The acquisition will allow GE to expand its reach in the musculoskeletal imaging market through a lower price point, and without compromising image quality, Omar Ishrak, president and CEO of GE Healthcare's clinical systems, told Health Imaging News. GE plans to invest its R&D division to further develop cost-effective MR patient imaging, with the goal of lowering the cost of MR. The company intends to release a new system with integrated GE technologies in the next year.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions; GE said it expects the acquisition to close during the fourth quarter of this year.

The acquisition will allow GE to expand its reach in the musculoskeletal imaging market through a lower price point, and without compromising image quality, Omar Ishrak, president and CEO of GE Healthcare's clinical systems, told Health Imaging News. GE plans to invest its R&D division to further develop cost-effective MR patient imaging, with the goal of lowering the cost of MR. The company intends to release a new system with integrated GE technologies in the next year.
Mary Tierney
Mary C. Tierney, MS, Vice President & Chief Content Officer, TriMed Media Group

Mary joined TriMed Media in 2003. She was the founding editor and editorial director of Health Imaging, Cardiovascular Business, Molecular Imaging Insight and CMIO, now known as Clinical Innovation + Technology. Prior to TriMed, Mary was the editorial director of HealthTech Publishing Company, where she had worked since 1991. While there, she oversaw four magazines and related online media, and piloted the launch of two magazines and websites. Mary holds a master’s in journalism from Syracuse University. She lives in East Greenwich, R.I., and when not working, she is usually running around after her family, taking photos or cooking.

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