Founded in 1969, Elscint is headquartered in Haifa, Israel. Elscint developed advanced computerized imaging systems in Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Medicine (NM) and Mammography (MAM) for international markets.
In November 1998, General Electric Medical Systems (GEMS) acquired the Nuclear Medicine and MRI divisions of Elscint, including an unique MRI gradient system concept and technology (twin gradient system).
Elscint Ltd. signs definitive agreement to sell its Nuclear Medicine and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Businesses for $100 Million. Elscint's shareholders approved the sale of its NM, and MRI division to GE (now GE Healthcare). Picker International acquires the Computed Tomography Division of Elscint Ltd. in the same year.

See also Marconi Medical Systems.

Eovist® (other brand name Primovist™) is a organ specific MRI contrast agent for the imaging, detection and characterization of liver conditions, including liver tumors, cysts, as well as other malignant and benign lesions. It is a water-soluble ethoxybenzyl derivative of Gd-DTPA. This compound is taken up by the hepatocytes (approximately 30% of the dose goes to the hepatocytes) and is equally excreted renal and biliary in humans. Excretion of Gd-EOB-DTPA in the bile may also permit visualization of both the gall bladder and the bile ducts.
Eovist® brightens the signal of T1 weighted MR images immediately after contrast administration. Dynamic and accumulation phase imaging can also be performed after bolus injection of Eovist®. The hepatocytes uptake will increase the signal intensity of normal liver parenchyma at 10 to 20 minutes after injection. This results in improved lesion-to-liver contrast because malignant tumors (metastases, the majority of hepatocellular carcinomas) do not contain either hepatocytes or their functioning is hampered.

WARNING: Gadolinium-based contrast agents increase the risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with acute or chronic severe renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate less than 30 mL/min/1.73m²), or acute renal insufficiency of any severity due to the hepato-renal syndrome or in the perioperative liver transplantation period.

See also Drug Development and Approval Process USA, Contrast Medium, Hepatobiliary Contrast Agents, Tumor Specific Agents and Molecular Imaging.

The Esaote Group, founded in the 1980's, is a global leader in research, production, and marketing of medical diagnostic equipment and related services. Esaote offers integrated diagnostic solutions for ultrasound electromedical diagnostic systems, and MRI. The Esaote MR equipment is dedicated for specific clinical applications, as distinguished from conventional whole body MRI systems. This MRI product family is based on a unique, proprietary technology developed specifically for musculoskeletal imaging.
The Italian based company is a member of the Bracco Group.
Esaote North America is the exclusive U.S. distributor of MRI devices manufactured by Esaote.

MRI Scanners:

0.2T to 0.31T:
Vet-MR (Based on the E Scan XQ, dedicated to the veterinarian practice.)

Short name: Ami 227, generic name: Ferumoxtran, (USPIO)
Ferumoxtran is a substance of the class of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide used as a lymph node specific contrast agent for MRI.
See also Combidex®, Sinerem® and Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide.
Partner(s): Cytogen Corporation, National Cancer Institute. An approvable letter was received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Combidex in June 2000. Advanced Magnetics, Inc. has submitted a complete response to the approvable letter received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which was accepted by the FDA and assigned a user fee goal date of March 30, 2005. In Europe, a Dossier (the European equivalent of a NDA) was submitted by Advanced Magnetics' European partner, Guerbet SA, to the European Medicines Evaluations Agency in December 1999. (Sinerem® is the brand name for this USPIO in Europe manufactured by Guerbet, Combidex® by Advanced Magnetics for the U.S. market)
Advanced Magnetics, Inc. changed its name in July 2007 to AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc.

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General Electric (GE) agreed to buy diagnostic systems maker Lunar Corp. for $150m. in March 2000. In 2004/05 it seems that the integration process into GE Healthcare has been completed. (GE Medical Systems and Amersham announced in April 2004 the completion of a share exchange acquisition of Amersham Health by GE. The result of this acquisition is the new GE Healthcare, based in the UK, totally owned by General Electric (GE).

The U.S.-based company developed bone densitometers and scanning machines that measure bone density as a way of diagnosing osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases. GE Lunar marketed these products worldwide.
GE Lunar announced a distribution agreement with MagneVu for domestic sales of the MagneVu 1000, a portable MRI device for orthopedic use, under the trade name Applause™.
GE Lunar was the exclusive U.S. distributor of MR-devices manufactured by Esaote S.p.A. These compact in-office MRI™ machines are designed to fit all practice sizes in orthopedic imaging and complete the range of diagnostic imaging systems.