A Diagnostics & Imaging Week

UniPath (Denver), a regional provider of pathology services, reported signing a five-year agreement with Roche Diagnostics (Indianapolis) to establish a Molecular Center of Excellence (MCOE), the only such facility to be granted this designation in the Rocky Mountain region.

The MCOE will perform molecular diagnostic testing using Roche Diagnostics' patented polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, which is more sensitive and more specific than traditional culture-based methods, the company said.

UniPath offers a varied test menu that includes molecular tests for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Human Papilloma Virus, the virus directly tied to cervical cancer in women.

Fischer Imaging (Denver) has entered into an arrangement with Eastman Kodak (Rochester, New York) for Kodak to offer service and support to the global installed base of Fischer's mammography products, including SenoScan digital mammography and MammoTest stereotactic breast biopsy systems.

Fischer completed the sale of its mammography assets – all intellectual property rights used in Fischer's mammography business, including the SenoScan and MammoTest systems – to Hologic (Bedford, Massachusetts) last September.

With Hologic's consent, Fischer granted Kodak a non-exclusive limited license to use certain mammography assets necessary to provide service and support on the installed base of SenoScan and MammoTest systems.

Under the agreement, it is expected that Kodak's Health Group will provide post-sale support, including telephone customer technical support and on-site equipment repair and maintenance, to Fischer's service customers who enter into a Kodak Service Agreement.

"We believe this arrangement will provide our mammography customers with access to repair and maintenance support from a large, reputable and highly responsive organization," said Fischer Imaging.