Konica Minolta and Shimadzu Join Forces to Bring Dynamic Digital Radiography to the US Digital Radiography Market

Wayne, NJ and Torrance, CA, July 22, 2019 – Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc., a leader in medical imaging systems and healthcare IT, along with Shimadzu Medical Systems USA today announced a collaborative agreement that will accelerate the commercialization of Dynamic Digital Radiography (DDR) in the US healthcare market. Konica Minolta, Inc. and Shimadzu Corporation collaborated on the development of DDR incorporating Konica Minolta's new advanced image processing and Shimadzu's RADspeed Pro radiographic imaging system. The companies will co-market the DDR technology in the US market. DDR is an enhanced X-ray technology that enables clinicians to analyze and quantify the dynamic interaction of anatomical structures with physiological changes over time to enhance diagnostic capability and efficacy.

In clinical studies conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, DDR has been shown to provide a more comprehensive assessment of pulmonary function and pulmonary mechanics than a conventional chest X-ray, as well as visualization of respiratory kinesiology. In a poster presented at the American Thoracic Society 2019 annual meeting, Mary M. O’Sullivan, MD, associate professor of pulmonary medicine, and Stephen I. Zink, radiologist and assistant clinical professor of diagnostic, molecular and interventional radiology, both at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, reported that DDR delivers a contextual understanding of dyspnea and other pathophysiologic abnormalities, and provides an earlier and more comprehensive understanding of the etiology of dyspnea. Of 16 diaphragm abnormalities identified, six were minimally or non-visible on the chest radiograph while the remaining 10 were better defined. Two cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) not seen on the chest radiograph were detected using DDR. Prior studies by Mount Sinai concluded that DDR may be a clinically relevant option to assess COPD severity in the acute setting, and for patients unable to perform pulmonary function testing.

“Shimadzu has long been a valued partner of Konica Minolta with an exceptional reputation for providing high-quality radiography systems and we look forward to continuing the relationship as we bring DDR to the US market,” says Guillermo Sander, Director of Marketing, Digital Radiography, Konica Minolta Healthcare. “Based on the clinical data provided by Mount Sinai and several academic hospitals in Japan, we believe that DDR may have an immediate impact in the diagnosis and management of patients with pulmonary diseases. By joining forces with Shimadzu, we strive to accelerate clinical acceptance of this novel technology that may increase the quality and accuracy of diagnosis and reduce the need for additional tests.”

“The continuing relationship between Shimadzu Medical Systems USA and Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas deepens the imaging solutions available in the conventional ‘rad’ room,” says Tom Kloetzly, VP of Sales and Marketing at Shimadzu Medical Systems USA. “Dynamic Digital Radiography will deliver extraordinary pulmonary dynamic imaging, along with the data analytics required to analyze and diagnose difficult diseases and injury processes. This can now be performed in a conventional radiographic environment, delivering much needed cost savings and equipment efficiencies.”

Konica Minolta Healthcare and Shimadzu will introduce DDR on the RADSpeed Pro at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA), in booths #711 and #803, respectively.