Seno Medical Wins Innovative Technology Contract from Vizient

Seno Medical’s Imagio Breast Imaging System has received an Innovative Technology contract from Vizient Inc., the largest U.S. provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company.

Vizient awarded the contract based on hospital experts’ recommendation of the Imagio System. These experts serve on one of Vizient’s customer-led councils, and the contract signifies to Vizient provider customers unique qualities that potentially can improve the healthcare industry.

Innovative Technology contracts are recommended after review and interaction with products submitted through Vizient’s Innovative Technology Program. Vizient customer-led councils identify technologies that potentially can enhance clinical care, patient safety, healthcare worker safety, or improve healthcare business operations.

Seno Medical’s Imagio Breast Imaging System, a new modality in breast cancer diagnosis, helps physicians, facilities, and other qualified healthcare providers differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions using a combination of artificial intelligence (AI)—SenoGram light opto-acoustic technology, and ultrasound to characterize and differentiate masses that may or may not require more invasive diagnostic evaluation.

“The suite of technologies that Vizient’s Innovative Technology Program showcases is simply the top echelon of patient care and innovation,” Seno Medical CEO Tom Umbel said. “We are honored to receive this designation from Vizient and look forward to working with its provider customers to offer the Imagio Breast Imaging System.”

Seno’s Imagio OA/US technology combines light, sound, and AI to deliver new information never before available. Opto-acoustic imaging is a category-defining technology that combines functional (opto-acoustics or photoacoustics), anatomic (ultrasound), and morphologic information using light (laser optics or opto-acoustics) and sound waves plus native artificial intelligence (SenoGram) decision support to produce high-resolution, high-contrast images for clinicians. The result is a diagnostic imaging modality that delivers functional information about suspicious breast masses and helps increase confidence about the need for invasive breast cancer diagnostic biopsies.

Imagio is non-invasive, has no ionizing radiation, does not use contrast agents, and does not require the compression required in mammography. Imagio provides clinicians with real-time information offering same-day results. Incorporating Imagio into a center can improve workflow efficiency and help lower stress and anxiety in patients.

“The Innovative Technology Exchange fosters a unique opportunity for healthcare providers to interact with products and services that have the potential to impact the healthcare industry and improve clinical care or business model of organizations,” stated Kelly Flaharty, senior director of contract services, Vizient. “We are pleased to invite Seno Medical to the Exchange.”

Vizient represents a diverse customer base that includes academic medical centers, pediatric facilities, community hospitals, integrated health delivery networks, and non-acute healthcare providers and has a portfolio that represents more than $140 billion in annual purchasing volume. Through its Innovative Technology Program, Vizient works with customer-led councils and task forces to evaluate products for their potential to bring real innovation to healthcare. Vizient may award a contract to products deemed worthy of the Innovative Technology designation outside of the competitive bid cycle.

Seno Medical Instruments Inc. is a San Antonio, Texas-based medical imaging company committed to improving the efficiency and reducing the complexity of breast cancer diagnostics through opto-acoustic imaging. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2021, with supplemental approval in June 2022, Seno’s Imagio Breast Imaging System helps improve confidence in diagnostic results that leads to real-time assessments, streamlined care pathways, and fewer false-positive biopsies. The company was recognized by Frost & Sullivan with its 2023 Enabling Technology Leadership award for its approach to diagnostic imaging.