Sep 19 2007
Siemens Medical Solutions and Xintek Inc. announce today that they have signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The mission of the new company, named XinRay Systems, is to develop a new multi-pixel X-ray source technology for a broad range of diagnostic imaging applications.
X-ray radiation is widely used today for a broad range of applications, including medical imaging and therapy, homeland security, and industrial inspection. The basic design of the X-ray tubes, however, has not changed significantly since Roentgen's discovery over a hundred years ago. Siemens and Xintek have developed a nanotechnology-based field emission X-ray source technology that fundamentally changes how X-ray radiation is generated and utilized. This technology is expected to enable new diagnostic imaging systems with enhanced performance and new capabilities.
"Siemens has a long, proud history as a leader in the development of X-ray sources for various imaging applications," said Peter Schardt, Ph.D., department head, research and development, Siemens Medical Solutions. "Through our joint venture with Xintek we look forward to adding another chapter in our history of innovation by further advancing X-ray with the incorporation of breakthrough nanotechnologies."
"We are pleased to form this joint venture with Siemens and look forward to working together to realize the potential opportunities in bringing nanotechnology and X-ray technology together in the diagnostic X-ray imaging field," said Otto Zhou, Ph.D., chairman, Xintek.
The joint venture company combines the activities Siemens and Xintek have been undertaking jointly over the last two years under one roof in North Carolina and is staffed by a strong technical team transferred from Xintek and Siemens facilities in Germany and China.