Mobile imaging provider DMS Health Technologies has acquired Nuclear Sonics Associates, which specializes in mobile nuclear medicine services to Iowans.

The deal expands DMS’ footprint in the Midwest and will help it meet greater demands for nuclear medicine applications in cardiology and general studies. Pushing this demand is the introduction of new radiopharmaceuticals and expanded applications used for heart disease and metastatic cancers. In addition, hospitals and health systems are looking at mobile solutions to help add to or expand the specialty.

DMS brings 50 years of experience to the transaction, while Nuclear Sonics brings 30. Nuclear Sonics offers cardiac, skeletal, endocrine, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and infectious exams, and DMS says adding it will bolster its status as a top mobile provider of nuclear medicine services throughout the U.S. “The asset acquisition of Nuclear Sonics expands our best-in-class nuclear medicine capabilities, adding more units and a fixed site system as well as expanding our team of highly-skilled nuclear medicine technologists,” DMS Health Technologies CEO Patrick Doyle told HCB News.

Under the agreement, all of Nuclear Sonics’ contracts, services and care will be automatically transferred to DMS. Based in Fargo, North Dakota, the privately owned DMS owns and distributes a fleet of mobile MR, CT, cath lab, PET/CT and nuclear medical imaging systems to hospitals and healthcare systems in the U.S. and Canada. It is one of the largest mobile imaging providers in the U.S., with a large concentration of its providers located in the upper Midwest region.

The company will also retain Nuclear Sonics’ employees, including its team of nuclear medicine technologists. “The transition to DMS Health Technologies will be seamless for these customers — they'll have the same technologists and equipment to ensure they continue to meet the needs of their community. Going forward, we'll leverage the strength and support of DMS Health Technologies' national nuclear medicine expertise to make equipment and software upgrades, improve access to radiopharmaceuticals, share new applications and enhance the care and service we provide,” Darin Blow, vice president of operations at DMS Health Technologies, told HCB News.

While no financial details were disclosed, the transaction is expected to be completed by March 1.

In addition to mobile imaging, DMS offers interim imaging and launched a 15-page planning guide in 2015 to help providers integrate the practice at their facilities.

DMS was acquired by Digirad Corporation in 2015 for $36 million and provided mobile diagnostic imaging and related sales and services to small and regional hospitals across the country. It generated $41.3 million in revenue for 2019, which makes up approximately 40.1% of the total revenue of Digirad’s healthcare division.

Digirad put the business unit on the market in 2020 for $18.75 million to improve its balance sheet and to be able to fund high-return organic growth investments and pursue acquisitions. “The divestiture of DMS Health will allow us to streamline our portfolio of healthcare services by focusing our efforts on selling and servicing our Digirad-branded solid-state imaging cameras and providing on-site imaging services to hospitals and physicians all over the country,” said Digirad CEO Matt Molchan in a statement at the time.