The Sagemark Companies (Rockville, New York) said it has expanded operations at its Rockville Centre, New York, PET imaging facility with the addition of a new 16 slice PET/CT imaging system, a Biograph system from Siemens (Malvern, Pennsylvania).

The system combines positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) technology to create a new diagnostic imaging system, the company said. As the patient undergoes a scan in this imaging system, the anatomically detailed information obtained from a CT scan is merged with the biological function recorded by the PET scanner to form a "biograph" — an image that records living tissues and life processes, Sagemark said.

The new PET/CT is the eighth diagnostic system to be installed at the company's seven PET imaging centers, Sagemark said.

Sagemark owns outpatient medical diagnostic imaging centers that use PET and CT imaging equipment.

Women's Diagnostic now Solis Women's Health

Women's Diagnostic (Austin, Texas) has changed its name to Solis Women's Health . The company said the name change creates a marketing campaign by Solis designed to create a cohesive identity around the company's facilities and its various communication outlets.

The company also reported the relocation of its headquarters from Plano, Texas to Austin, Texas effective Dec. 15. Solis Women's Healthis a specialized healthcare provider focused exclusively on the screening and diagnosis of breast cancer. Solis operates six north central Texas facilities with several additional sites under development in markets across the U.S.

MIS gynecological devices demand to increase

Millennium Research Group (MRG; Waltham, Massachusetts) has completed an analysis of the U.S. gynecological device market and found that physician and patient demand for minimally invasive (MIS) gynecological devices will increase significantly over the next five years.

Newer technologies, such as global endometrial ablation (GEA), transcervical sterilization, and uterine artery embolization (UAE) devices, appeal to physicians because of their minimally invasive nature and ease-of-use. According to the new report titled "U.S. Markets for Gynecological Devices 2007," the total market will grow rapidly, reaching more than $700 million by 2011.

GEA will experience strong growth over the forecast period as clinical benefits such as ease-of-use and speed continue to drive gynecologists' rapid acceptance of this minimally invasive procedure. The high in-office reimbursement rates available for GEA procedures will also facilitate their gradual transition from hospitals into physician offices.

The U.S. gynecological device market consists of GEA devices, female sterilization devices, assisted reproduction consumables, colposcopes, fluid management devices, endometrial resection devices, hysteroscopes, and UAE devices.

MRG provides strategic information to healthcare sector, focused on the medical device, pharma and biotech industries.