Minnesota medtech titan Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) is preparing to market a new spinal test thanks to a partnership with Ortho Kinematics.
Ortho’s Vertebral Motion Analysis, the company’s flagship device, uses fluoroscopy to capture images of the spine in motion. The company hopes to displace traditional X-ray imaging as the primary method for identifying spinal dysfunction.
Medtronic agreed to market the VMA system to spinal surgeons, giving Ortho a significant boost.
"Unlike the market for spine surgical technology which is characterized by hundreds of companies and thousands of products, the market for spine diagnostics is comprised of a small handful of on-market and development-stage products," according to an Ortho statement. "Most market analysts agree that diagnostics represents an area of strong growth potential within the spine surgery category, and within spine imaging diagnostics OKI is recognized as a market leader. The global revenue potential for the VMA is over $5 billion."
