A Medical Device Daily

iCAD (Nashua, New Hampshire), a provider of computer-aided detection (CAD) solutions for the early identification of cancer, reported entering a product integration and distribution agreement with Viatronix (Stony Brook, New York), a developer of diagnostic 3-D imaging software.

Viatronix will incorporate iCAD’s CAD solutions with its virtual colonoscopy technology, to enhance early detection and identification of polyps, potential precursors to colon cancer.

Viatronix will offer iCAD’s computed tomography (CT) colon CAD software for the identification of potential polyps in CT Colonography (CTC) examinations in conjunction with their V3D System for “virtual colonoscopy.” V3D-Colon allows physicians to interactively view the colon reconstructed from a CT scan, providing visualization of the inner surface that includes polyps and lesions. CT Colon from iCAD uses sophisticated image processing software to automatically identify polyps in CTC images. By integrating iCAD’s solution, Viatronix will assist physicians in improving the accuracy, consistency and workflow during the reading process.

iCAD’s CT Colon CAD software is pending regulatory review and approval by the FDA. All intended use statements are pending approval from the FDA.

In other agreement news:

The Beaumont Technology Usability Center (Royal Oak, Michigan) said it is assisting the FDA in a national patient safety initiative to prevent tubing and catheter misconnection errors in pediatric intensive care units. The project, a part of the Medical Product Safety Network — or MedSun — is expected to conclude in April 2007.

“In the healthcare industry, many medical tubing connection devices are utilized to deliver medication, gases, and nutrition,” says Izabella Gieras, BTUC’s director of technology management. “These devices frequently have similar or even identical connectors, despite their different clinical applications (e.g., epidural, intravenous, intestinal, etc.). The similarity of these connectors in a busy health care environment presents a real risk of misconnection errors, with potentially lethal consequences.

• Reflect Scientific (Orem, Utah) reported that one of its subsidiaries, Cryometrix, has entered into a manufacturing agreement with Vander-Bend (Sunnyvale, California) for its advanced programmable Ultra Low Temperature (ULT) cryogenic storage systems.

“Vander-Bend is an excellent resource,” said Nick Henneman, director of manufacturing for Cryometrix, “one that has enabled us to meet our goal of increasing capacity in a cost effective and quality production environment.”