BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Two U.S. government agencies announced plans Tuesday to create a laboratory to evaluate and improve medical imaging systems, such as X-rays.
The National Institute of Health's Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and Radiological Health said they plan to work together to assess and optimize high-resolution, high-dimensional medical imaging systems.
The team of clinicians, scientists and mathematicians also want to make the systems -- such as X-ray, computed radiography, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging -- more readily available to patients.
The two groups said they have a mutual interest in the project. NIBIB focuses largely on improving health by developing emerging biomedical technologies, while the CDRH tries to protect the health of the public by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices.
"Not only will this new agreement strengthen the imaging programs of both organizations, but it will also benefit the public by leading to the earlier availability of safe, effective medical imaging technologies," said CDRH Director Dr. David W. Feigal.
