The medical imaging world is hitting a massive reset button as AI-driven clinical intelligence transforms how we map the human heart. With the medical image management market projected to hit $9.06 billion by 2032^[1], the era of bulky, multi-million dollar hardware is giving way to agile, software-defined diagnostics. As point-of-care tools accelerate toward a $70.92 billion market^[2], hospitals are trading dedicated MRI suites for bedside intelligence that delivers hospital-grade precision on a portable device. This seismic shift is placing a massive premium on the "digital bridge" companies anchoring this new care model, including VentriPoint Diagnostics (TSXV: VPT) (OTCPK: VPTDF), Butterfly Network (NYSE: BFLY), Hyperfine (NADSAQ: HYPR), Hologic (NASDAQ: HOLX), and GE HealthCare (NASDAQ: GEHC).

The real catalyst is a fundamental change in the federal "pay-for-performance" landscape. The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services's (CMS) new ACCESS Model^[3], launching in July 2026, signals a systemic re-rating of the industry that rewards measurable patient outcomes instead of just the total volume of medical tests. This structural shift toward outcome-aligned payments confirms that software-defined imaging platforms^[4] will be the primary value driver for 2026, allowing providers to slash facility overhead while using AI-driven data to catch critical heart issues long before they become emergencies.

Ventripoint Diagnostics (TSXV: VPT) (OTCPK: VPTDF) is building subscription models that promise measurable returns for hospitals. The company transforms standard 2D ultrasound images into 3D volumetric models with MRI-level accuracy for heart assessments.

Strong investor demand just doubled their private placement from $500,000 to $1 million. The proceeds will fund critical commercialization activities, manufacturing scale-up, continued regulatory submissions, and operational requirements.

The real shift happening here is about proving economic value rather than just clinical capability. Ventripoint recently engaged Summit Sciences, a specialized consulting firm, to develop advanced ROI models that show healthcare providers exactly what they'll save. The models will integrate real-world data to demonstrate clear returns through process improvement, better diagnostic accuracy, and optimized resource allocation.

"We are excited to partner with Dana and Summit Sciences to elevate our financial modeling capabilities," said Hugh MacNaught, President & CEO of Ventripoint Diagnostics. "Dana's extensive expertise in healthcare transformation, combined with Summit Sciences' proven track record in data-driven consulting, will enable us to deliver even more compelling value propositions to our customers. This initiative underscores our commitment to not only advancing cardiac care through technology but also ensuring that our solutions make strong economic sense for healthcare providers worldwide."

Dana Friesen, CEO of Summit Sciences, brings over 15 years of experience in financial analysis and ROI optimization within the medical device sector. The firm has delivered billions in lifetime partner savings across clinical agencies. Friesen's work with indigenous health networks aligns with Ventripoint's expansion into underserved markets.

The company announced a partnership with Nisg̱a'a Valley Health Authority that establishes a model for delivering advanced cardiac imaging to remote and Indigenous communities. The collaboration uses a hub-and-spoke design where local healthcare providers acquire ultrasound scans and transmit them digitally to specialists at a central hub for rapid interpretation.

Ventripoint appointed David Swetlow as Chief Financial Officer. Swetlow brings over 15 years of senior management experience from high-growth medical technology companies including Sernova, Ondine, Protox, HealthPricer, and QLT. Management views the appointment as a key step in executing a commercial strategy designed to drive market adoption and revenue growth.

The company also issued a corporate update detailing its Device-as-a-Service subscription model. Management believes this approach will shorten sales cycles and build recurring revenue streams that make the technology accessible to more healthcare facilities without large upfront capital investments.

CONTINUED… Read this and more news for VentriPoint Diagnostics at: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/11/21/the-mri-grade-disruption-hiding-in-plain-sight-why-the-smart-money-is-watching-ventripoint

In other industry developments and happenings in the market include:

Butterfly Network (NYSE: BFLY) announced plans to release its Beam Steering API for third-party AI application development within the company's Butterfly Garden and Ultrasound-on-Chip co-development programs. The new API release, expected in the first half of 2026, will open access to core capabilities previously reserved for the company's own app, including iQ Slice and iQ Fan functionalities.

"As the first to offer digital beam steering access to developers, Butterfly is changing the game for imaging AI, empowering more advanced tools that simplify image acquisition," said Steve Cashman, Chief Business Officer of Butterfly Network. "As our platform evolves, Butterfly partners gain access to more of our core imaging capabilities, allowing them to build richer, more sophisticated applications."

The planned SDK access is expected to support advanced imaging workflows across a subset of existing presets, including abdominal, cardiac, obstetric, musculoskeletal, vascular, and lung imaging. Unlike legacy ultrasound systems, Butterfly Network is built on a semiconductor chip using a fully electronic 2D capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer array with approximately 9,000 elements, enabling software-defined beam steering across all three dimensions without mechanical motion.

Hyperfine (NASDAQ: HYPR) announced enrollment of the first patient in the Contrast PMR study, a prospective multi-center clinical study designed to evaluate feasibility and visualization benefits of contrast-enhanced ultra-low-field portable MRI. The study will enroll approximately 70 patients across multiple U.S. sites to support a future FDA submission expanding the Swoop system's intended use to include gadolinium-based contrast agents.

"Seeing contrast at ultra-low field strengths is an exciting expansion opportunity for the utility of the Swoop system. The ability to use gadolinium-based contrast agents could enhance its clinical utility, particularly in cases where contrast is commonly used, such as brain tumors, suspected abscesses, and inflammatory conditions like multiple sclerosis," said Tom Teisseyre, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer at Hyperfine. "With the Contrast PMR study enrolling, we anticipate submission to the FDA for indication expansion towards the end of 2026."

The study's primary objective evaluates visualization of brain lesions including lesions associated with blood-brain barrier disruption using contrast agents with ultra-low-field portable MRI. The Swoop Portable MRI Systems are FDA-cleared for brain imaging of patients of all ages, providing images that display internal head structure where full diagnostic examination is not clinically practical.

Hologic (NASDAQ: HOLX) announced study data showing its Genius AI Detection solution flagged approximately one-third of false-negative breast cancer cases in a retrospective analysis of 7,500 digital breast tomosynthesis screening exams at Massachusetts General Hospital. The AI technology accurately identified and localized the cancer location in 32% of cases initially interpreted as negative but followed by breast cancer diagnosis within one year.

"At Hologic, we are constantly pushing ourselves to innovate and enhance the quality and reliability of our technologies," said Mark Horvath, President of Breast and Skeletal Health Solutions. "This study underscores AI's potential to uncover cancers that might otherwise remain hidden, while also giving us critical insights to guide the development of future innovations. As we continue to advance this technology based on customer and provider feedback, we're excited to see its impact in real-world settings."

Among 500 breast cancer cases previously identified by radiologists, the Genius AI Detection technology flagged almost 90% and correctly localized their locations. The AI was more likely to flag invasive ductal carcinomas and lymph node-positive cancers, while less likely to flag invasive lobular carcinomas and grade I invasive carcinomas.

GE HealthCare (NASDAQ: GEHC) and Mayo Clinic unveiled GEMINI-RT, a strategic collaboration to transform personalized radiation therapy by integrating imaging, AI and patient monitoring across the cancer care continuum. The initiative addresses critical needs in radiation oncology, used in over 50% of cancer cases affecting more than 2 million U.S. patients annually.

"GEMINI-RT is grounded in the concept of 'twinning the patient, personalizing the beam'—a transformative approach made possible by Mayo Clinic's extensive clinical expertise and outcomes data," said Bryan Traughber, M.D., vice chair, innovation for radiation oncology, Mayo Clinic. "The combination of research and technological acumen could allow us to model individual patient journeys with precision, enabling radiation therapy treatments that are truly tailored to each patient."

The collaboration focuses on four strategic pillars including automation of repetitive tasks through AI-powered solutions, predictive oncology for personalized treatment decisions, multi-modal therapies combining radiation with targeted drugs and precision heating, and connected care using AI and biomarkers to monitor patients beyond the clinic. Research activities will be based at Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus.