Imris, SpinTech MRI Collaborate
Imris and SpinTech MRI have announced a strategic collaboration to integrate advanced MR imaging directly into the neurosurgical suite. The partnership aims to enhance intraoperative imaging capabilities. This move exemplifies a trend toward specialized, high-acuity mobile and point-of-care imaging technologies.
- The collaboration will integrate SpinTech MRI's STAGE™ software, which can reduce MRI brain scan times by about 30%, into IMRIS's ceiling-mounted intraoperative MRI (iMRI) systems. This addresses the challenge of time required for image acquisition during neurosurgery. - IMRIS systems are unique in that the magnet moves on ceiling-mounted rails to the patient, eliminating the need to move the patient for scanning during a procedure. These systems are designed specifically for neurosurgery and have been used in over 70,000 patient procedures worldwide. - SpinTech's STAGE platform is not AI-based but rather utilizes MRI physics to provide fully sampled, 3D quantitative data, which can enhance visualization of neurological conditions like Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumors. This partnership aims to provide 3T image quality and detailed quantitative outputs even from 1.5T systems. - The intraoperative imaging market is projected to grow, with neurosurgery applications expected to hold the largest market share at 41.1% in 2026. This growth is driven by the demand for real-time visualization to improve precision in complex surgeries. - This partnership reflects a broader trend of integrating advanced software, including AI and machine learning, with imaging hardware to improve diagnostics and workflow efficiency. As of early 2026, the FDA has cleared over 1,000 AI-powered radiology tools, with nearly 80% of all medical AI devices being related to imaging. - The shift to outpatient imaging is a significant market force, with freestanding imaging centers projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the diagnostic imaging market. This trend is driven by cost-effectiveness and patient convenience, leading hospital outpatient departments to also see high growth. - Reimbursement changes continue to influence imaging site-of-care decisions. For 2026, CMS finalized a 2.6% update to Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) payment rates. Such adjustments, along with policies from private payers, can incentivize the move of procedures out of hospitals. - Key competitors in the mobile and outpatient imaging space include large players like RadNet, which operates over 400 centers, and Akumin, which has a large mobile fleet and partners with over 800 hospitals. Other significant companies include MedQuest Associates and Proscan Imaging.
