GE Healthcare marks a decade since Vingmed acquisition

At the annual meeting of the American Society of Echocardiography held in Toronto this week, GE Healthcare marked ten years since its acquisition of Vingmed.

In 1999, GE introduced the System FiVe cardiovascular ultrasound system under the GE label, followed a year later by the introduction of Vivid with the launch of the Vivid 3 software and hardware based ultrasound system.

Other achievements include the introduction of strain imaging on Vivid 7 in 2002 and tissue synchronisation imaging a year later.

In 2004 Vivid 7 added real-time 4D and multi-dimensional imaging capabilities, while the launch of the Vivid i saw the introduction of a lightweight, compact ultrasound system.

Miniaturisation expertise from the Vivid i and knowledge leveraged from other Vivid developments saw the launch of the Vivid S6 and S5 cardiovascular ultrasound systems last year, while ultra-definition imaging was added to the Vivid 7.

Anders Wold, business general manager who joined from Vingmed, said: “To sit back and think about the achievements and strides we?ve made over the past ten years is remarkable.

“Perhaps even more remarkable, however, is to think of those achievements as prologue to the endless possibilities ahead.”

He added that the future of ultrasound is promising, with limitless possibilities if doctors are helped to find disease in the earliest stages.

Earlier this month, GE Healthcare showcased a range of molecular imaging technology at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists.