M&A Fever Transforms the Medical Imaging Sector

Originally Published MX May/June 2001

Market Analysis

Widespread mergers-and-acquisitions activity is pushing the radiology sector of the medical device industry in new directions.

Greg Freiherr

Figure 1. The Millennium VG Hawkeye system by GE Medical Systems (Chicago) combines computed tomography and nuclear medicine in a single scanner.

The radiology sector of the medical device industry has been hit hard by the drive to get big. The needs to compete globally, to cut costs and expand offerings, and to grow the business have become such priorities that even the most fiercely independent and single-mindedly dedicated companies have knuckled under. So complete has been this turnover and so hungry have been the acquirers that all the independent vendors of imaging equipment with any substantial market share have now been gobbled up.