• Sunquest Information Systems (Tucson. Arizona) said that it has increased investment for its Sunquest Radiology Information System (RIS) software and will begin actively marketing it again to the healthcare industry. Sunquest's decision to increase investment in its radiology offering follows the acquisition of the company by Vista Equity Partners in October and the re-evaluation of the role of radiology solutions in the Sunquest product portfolio. Sunquest RIS manages information and images into one information source to deliver operational efficiencies. Innovative features optimize daily radiology department operations and standardize functions enterprise-wide to deliver new patient and exam process efficiencies. Integrated mammography reporting and tracking is provided through an interfaced mammography reporting system solution. The integration delivers powerful software to help radiologists, mammography technologists, administrators and medical transcriptionists report and track all breast-related procedures. Sunquist makes laboratory information systems.
  • Kidz-Med (New Paltz, New York), a division of American Scientific Resources, reported the launch of the Thermofocus 5-in-1 thermometer, the first non-contact clinical thermometer in the world, now available at Walgreens stores nationwide and online at http://www.kidzmed.com. Long recommended by doctors throughout Europe and Asia, the Thermofocus 5-in-1 takes a temperature in one second, without touching a child's skin or ear. It uses an infrared technology, with the Thermofocus simply pointed at a child's forehead and the core body temperature is displayed on an easy-to-read screen. The company said it is as accurate as a rectal thermometer and more accurate than an ear thermometer. Kidz-Med makes pediatric and chidren's products.
  • Spinal Elements (Carlsbad, California) reported FDA clearance to market the Lucent Spinal Implants as lumbar intervertebral body fusion devices (IBFD). This clearance enables surgeons to use this implant and instrumentation technology for degenerative disc disease and other common spinal maladies. Lucent IBFD implants are manufactured from radiolucent PEEK-OPTIMA polymer, allowing the surgeon to better view the fusion site under X-ray. The Lucent IBFD system is suitable for direct posterior and transforaminal approaches to the lumbar disc space. Lucent direct posterior implants are available in 10 mm and 8 mm widths from 7 mm thru 14 mm heights in one-millimeter increments with convex-parallel and convex-lordose options. All Lucent implants include graft space features along with a tapered bullet nose, designed to enable easy insertion. The Lucent IBFD instrumentation is a color-coded system designed to enable quicker and safer interbody fusion procedures. Spinal Elements makes spinal implant technologies.
  • Veridex (Warren, New Jersey) said the FDA has granted an expanded clearance for the CellSearch system to be used as an aid in the monitoring of metastatic colorectal cancer. CellSearch is currently approved for monitoring metastatic breast cancer. The CellSearch system identifies and counts circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in a blood sample to predict progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal or breast cancer, and can do so earlier than the current standard of care. The results of serial testing for CTCs with the CellSearch system, in conjunction with other clinical methods for monitoring, can help physicians assess disease progression, thereby guiding more informed care decisions earlier. The CellSearch system is the first diagnostic test to automate the detection and enumeration of CTCs, cancer cells that detach from solidtumors and enter the blood stream, and is the standard in a new class of diagnostic tools. Veridex, a Johnson & Johnson company, makes cancer diagnostic products.