Magnets may interfere with the operation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), according to a study published in the December 2006 edition of “Heart Rhythm.”

The Third International Conference on Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases will convene Jan 17 to 19, at The New York Academy of Medicine in New York, NY. The three-day program is dedicated to the evolving field of cell-based therapies for cardiac repair and regeneration.

The FDA has cleared Toshiba's new EXCELART Vantage Atlas 1.5T MRI system, which the company showcased this week during the annual meeting and exhibit of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

GE Healthcare has launched its new LightSpeed VCT XT, the industry’s first CT scanner that maintains outstanding image quality while reducing a patient’s radiation exposure by up to 70 percent for diagnostic cardiac scans. The company unveiled the technology this week during the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

An innovative lead insulation material for cardiac leads used with pacemakers and ICDs is now FDA approved and available in the U.S. Optim, from St. Jude Medical, is the first silicone-polyurethane co-polymer material created specifically for cardiac lead use.

An implantable technology to control high blood pressure in patients not responding to available medicines has demonstrated initial favorable results in a study conducted at the University Hospital Berne in Switzerland. Developed by Minneapolis-based CVRx in 2002 and entering a clinical trial in the U.S., the tiny device - called the Rheos system - was first implanted in 11 patients undergoing surgery for carotid stenosis. Dr. Jurg Schmidli and colleagues placed electrodes outside the carotid wall and applied electrical stimulation.

November 2006 - Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has announced a new partnership with CVCTA Education and San Francisco Advanced Medical Imaging, a Liberty Pacific Medical Imaging Company, to serve as the company’s newest education and training partner.

LPMI’s San Francisco Advanced Medical Imaging recently installed Toshiba’s Aquilion 64 CFX system, an advanced cardiac CT system and the cornerstone of the program.

Houston based ThromboVision, Inc. has won the first annual Michael E. DeBakey Life Science Award, which carries a $50,000 cash prize to assist in propelling the company's technology toward commercial success.

In its third quarter financial report, San Diego-based Cytori said it has moved significantly closer to initiating its cardiovascular clinical trials," said Christopher J. Calhoun, chief executive officer of Cytori Therapeutics. The company is developing adipose stem cells in cardiovascular disease and for use in reconstructive surgery.

The stent market will have a distinctly different look after Johnson & Johnson completes its acquisition of Conor Medsystems, a $1.4 transaction that is expected to close in the first quarter of 2007, J&J reports. The companies announced their definitive agreement late last week.

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