Naviscan

Naviscan, now operating as CMR Naviscan after being acquired by Compañía Mexicana de Radiología (CMR) in 2013, specializes in organ-specific molecular imaging. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. It develops and manufactures high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET) scanners designed for imaging small body parts, with a primary application in breast cancer detection and management.

The company's flagship product is the PEM Flex® PET Scanner, which utilizes Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) technology to visualize breast tumors as small as a grain of rice (1.5-2.0 mm). This technology provides detailed 3D tomographic images that show both the location and metabolic phase of a lesion, a critical factor in determining malignancy and guiding treatment. The scanners are compact, mobile, and designed to be used as an adjunct to conventional imaging like mammography and ultrasound. Naviscan also developed the Stereo Navigator™, a PEM-guided biopsy system, which was the first of its kind to be cleared by the FDA. This allows for precise targeting of suspicious lesions identified with PEM, potentially reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies.

Naviscan's business model centers on the sale of these specialized medical imaging devices and related accessories to hospitals, breast clinics, and imaging centers. The technology serves radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, surgeons, and oncologists. The company received crucial early-stage funding from the NCI SBIR program, which was instrumental in its research, development, and clinical trials leading to FDA clearance and commercialization in 2005. By 2013, the company had raised a total of $29.8M over 8 funding rounds from investors including QuestMark Partners and Sanderling Ventures before its acquisition by CMR. The acquisition by CMR and a subsequent acquisition of Gamma Medica allowed the company to expand its portfolio to include the LumaGEM Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) system, further strengthening its offerings for breast cancer screening and diagnostics, particularly for women with dense breast tissue.

Keywords: Positron Emission Mammography, PEM, organ-specific PET scanner, molecular breast imaging, MBI, breast cancer detection, high-resolution imaging, PET-guided biopsy, diagnostic equipment, medical imaging, oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine, women's health, dense breast tissue, LumaGEM, Stereo Navigator