The system will support the development of new contrast agents and AI-enabled imaging at a research center in Italy.
MARS Bioimaging sold a mobile photon-counting CT scanner to Bracco Imaging SpA to support research into contrast agents and artificial intelligence (AI). The system will be installed at the Bracco Research Center in Colleretto Giacosa, Italy, a facility focused on innovation in X-ray, CT, and MR imaging.
The acquisition is part of a research project funded by the Fondo Italiano per le Scienze Applicate and led by principal investigator Prof Angelo Bifone of the University of Turin. The project will evaluate how AI and advanced imaging can be integrated to improve diagnostic outcomes.
“The acquisition of the MARS photon-counting CT scanner is supported by ‘Fondo Italiano per le Scienze Applicate’ funded research project (grant: FISA-2023-00298), led by Principal Investigator Prof Angelo Bifone of the University of Turin. This project will investigate how AI and advanced imaging can be combined to enhance diagnostic outcomes, also leveraging the unique capabilities of photon-counting CT—such as spectral imaging and material decomposition—to achieve improved characterization of contrast,” says Alberto Fringuello Mingo, lead investigator at Bracco Imaging, in a release.
The MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System received US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance in March 2026. According to the company, this regulatory milestone provides validation to support global market adoption and regulatory pathways.
“We’re excited that a world leader in diagnostic imaging and a trusted partner for radiologists has selected our technology to support its research. This sale to a leading industry innovator represents an important commercial milestone and signals growing momentum for MARS,” says Ojas Mahapatra, CEO of MARS Bioimaging, in a release.
The scanner uses advanced photon-counting detector technology originally developed through particle physics research at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. MARS Bioimaging holds the exclusive license from CERN to commercialize this Medipix3 technology for mobile scanners and point-of-care imaging of extremities.
The system provides high-resolution 3D X-ray imaging that allows for material differentiation between bone, soft tissue, blood vessels, and metallic implants.
“MARS scanners deliver high-resolution 3D X-ray imaging that visualizes soft tissue, bone, blood vessels, and metallic implants with clear material differentiation, enabling new insights into how contrast agents can enhance diagnostic performance. Importantly, researchers can also readily access underlying data in an efficient workflow designed to add value to clinical research projects,” says Mark Figgitt, group COO of MARS Bioimaging, in a release.
Photo caption: MARS Bioimaging Microlab scanner system
Photo caption: MARS Bioimaging
