GE Medical Systems to acquire Visualization Technology

FEBRUARY 14--GE Medical Systems, a unit of General Electric Co. (Waukesha, WI;www.gemedical.com), has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Visualization Technology Inc. (VTI; Lawrence, MA; www.visualizationtechnology.com), a pioneer in electromagnetic (EM) based image-guided-surgery (IGS) systems. Using EM tracking, VTI`s InstaTrak systems allow physicians to perform minimally invasive surgery without the line-of-sight restrictions of traditional IGS systems. This patented EM technology allows continuous navigation during a surgery procedure regardless of the patient's position or the location of the surgical instruments. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"Advances in surgical navigation will enable new, minimally invasive surgery procedures that will help reduce hospital stays and health-care costs and improve patient outcomes," said Joseph M. Hogan, president and CEO of GE Medical Systems. "With VTI's EM tracking and visualization technology, we hope to help develop the next generation of image-guided procedures that will become the surgery standard of care."

GE Medical Systems and VTI began working together in 2000 to develop the OEC FluoroTrak 9800, an integrated surgery imaging solution combining GE's patented 1K x 1K imaging technology with VTI's orthopedic and spine fluoronavigation applications. FluoroTrak 9800 is expected to be available this summer.