A device that analyzes the elasticity of tissues as sound waves travel through them, accurately diagnosing without the need for a biopsy, will find a home in Rochester, according to Jim Potter, director of Mayo Clinic Medical Devices.

The Resoundant is a new imaging device that uses sound waves and works with MRI scanners, was developed by Mayo Clinic researcher Dr. Richard Ehman and his team over many years.

By analyzing the elasticity of tissues as sound waves travel through them, the device can accurately diagnose chronic liver disease and cirrhosis without the need for a biopsy.
Researchers see the potential for many other uses diagnosing conditions in the brain, heart, lung, thyroid, breast, prostate and many other areas. It is theorized that the device could eventually be used to tell a benign tumor from a malignant one without the need for a biopsy or surgery.

The Mayo Clinic started working with Benchmark Electronics to begin Resoundant, which is expected to hit the market in late fall, possibly October.

New company

A wholly-owned subsidiary company, that is not named yet, will manage the project. Potter expects it will have an office with 15 to 30 employees within the next five years, depending on sale volumes and customer demands.

Mayo Clinic has already partnered with the two top MRI scanner makers, GE Healthcare and Siemens Medical Solutions, to sell the device and install its software on all new MRI scanners they make. The two companies account for 82 percent of the market.

Of the 22,000 MRI scanners in use in the United States, an estimated 16,500 are new enough for an Resoundant to work with them.

The rough goal of the fledging company is to install 60 Resoundants in 2009 and 250 in 2010.

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