A Timeline of Mini C-Arm Development
A detailed historical timeline documenting the invention, engineering breakthroughs, and major milestones in the development of the Mini C-arm.
Invention of the Mini C-Arm
Part 1 of 2
Table of Contents
- 1979 - Invention of the Lixiscope
- 1981 - Invention of the Mini C-arm
- 1982 - Introduction of the Fluoroscan Imaging System
- 1984 – The Xi-Scan Mini C-arm
- 1984 - Improvement to the 100mm Field of View
- 1985 - GE enters the Mini C-arm Market
- 1985 - Improvement to a 150mm Field of View
- 1986 - Invention of the InnerView Mini C-arm
- 1986 – Birth of Fluoroscan Imaging Systems
- 1996 - Sale of Fluoroscan Imaging Systems to Hologic, Inc.
- 2001 - The Founding of Orthoscan, Inc.
- 2002 - Introduction of the Orthoscan Mini C-arm
- 2002 - Improvement to Flat Panel Detector
- 2011 - Sale of Orthoscan to Aton, GmbH
- 2015 - FM Control
- 2019 - Turner Imaging Systems
- 2025 - Hologic leaves the Mini C-arm Market
- 2026 - Orthoscan Ziehm Introduces Next Generation Mini C-arms
By MiniCArmHistory.org
1979 - Invention of the Lixiscope
The Lixiscope was invented by scientists at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The two patents issued in regard to this device were exclusively licensed to HealthMate, Inc. Larry Grossman was the founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of HealthMate, Inc.
1981 - Invention of the Mini C-arm
Grossman, through his company, HealthMate, Inc., hired the scientists who had invented the Lixiscope as consultants. At Grossman’s direction, they developed an X-ray tube version of the original Lixiscope that incorporated the original technology but eliminated the radioactive isotope and batteries and replaced them with an X-ray tube and high voltage power supply. There was a third patent issued for the new X-ray tube/power supply which was also exclusively licensed to HealthMate, Inc. by NASA. The successful prototype was named the Mini C-arm.
1982 - Introduction of the Fluoroscan Imaging System
The Fluoroscan was the first Mini C-arm - and the first mobile fluoroscopy machine - to be developed, manufactured and marketed. The first two Fluoroscan units were sold to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1984 – The Xi-Scan Mini C-arm
A small Mini C-arm was reverse-engineered from the Fluoroscan, infringing on the NASA patents. The company which developed it, Xi-Tech, Inc., entered into a sales agreement with Dow Corning Wright to allow Wright Medical to sell the Xi-scan. HealthMate, Inc. and NASA filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Xi-Tech, Inc. and Dow Corning Wright. As part of a settlement, Dow Corning paid HealthMate a seven-figure settlement and agreed to exit the Mini C-arm market.
1984 - Improvement to the 100mm Field of View
The original Fluoroscan Mini C-arm had a 75mm round field of view. The Gen-2 night vision image intensifier used in the Mini C-arm had a 25mm circumference and the new Mini C-arm technology required a fiber-optic taper to increase the field of view and make the device useful in the surgical operating room. HealthMate, Inc. engineers worked with fiber-optic taper company, Schott, Inc., to increase the original fiber-optic taper from a 75mm inch field of view to a 100mm field of view.
1985 - GE enters the Mini C-arm Market
The OEC division of General Electric Co. manufactured conventional large C-arms. In 1985, GE entered the Mini C-arm market with a new product. Within the first two years of production, the Food & Drug Administration closed down the manufacturing of all OEC C-arm products when the company failed to correct process violations. OEC was forced to leave the Mini C-arm market for five years.
1985 - Improvement to a 150mm Field of View
A 100mm field of view was acceptable for hand surgeons and to foot and ankle surgeons. A larger field of view was necessary for Mini C-arms to be useful for larger body parts such as knees and shoulders. HealthMate commissioned the Schott Company and its engineers to develop the largest fiber-optic piece of glass to date, creating a 150mm glass with a round back side.
1986 - Invention of the InnerView Mini C-arm
Grossman invented an industrial version of the Mini C-arm that was connected to a computer with scanning capabilities, expanding the device beyond medical X-ray imaging. The size of the opening between the X-ray tube/power supply components and the image intensifier (which created the device’s C-shape) was expanded so that it could be adjusted to accommodate much larger applications. Industrial applications for the new InnerView Mini C-arm included non-destructive testing and imaging of items ranging from airplane wings to steel-belted truck tires. HealthMate, Inc. also manufactured custom-designed InnerView Mini C-arms for specific imaging needs. Examples included detecting cyanide inside Tylenol capsules and imaging the O-ring used in the Space Shuttle. NASA contracted with HealthMate to find a solution to image all future O-rings after determining that a faulty O-ring had caused the 1986 Challenger disaster.
1986 – Birth of Fluoroscan Imaging Systems
HealthMate, Inc. was renamed Fluoroscan Imaging Systems to better reflect the branding of its successful Mini C-arm product, the Fluoroscan.
1996 - Sale of Fluoroscan Imaging Systems to Hologic, Inc.
Hologic, Inc., which manufactured a bone density machine to diagnose osteoporosis fractures and evaluate body composition, had a successful IPO and wanted to diversify their product offering. They bought Fluoroscan, another public company by then, and acquired all of Fluoroscan’s technologies.
2001 - The Founding of Orthoscan, Inc.
Larry Grossman founded Orthoscan, Inc. five years after the sale of his former company, Fluoroscan Imaging Systems, Inc. A team of engineers developed the first all-digital high-definition Mini C-arm, which was also the first fluoroscopy machine of any kind to utilize that technology.
2002 - Introduction of the Orthoscan Mini C-arm
The first Orthoscan hit the marketplace.
2002 - Improvement to Flat Panel Detector
A new flat panel digital X-ray technology was developed by Varian which had the potential to replace the Gen-2 night vision image intensifier and fiber-optic taper in the Mini C-arm. Grossman obtained an exclusive three-year agreement with Varian to manufacture a specialized version which could be made in a six-inch or nine-inch rectangular field of view versus the maximum six-inch round image utilized at that time. Resolution and sensitivity were greatly improved. For the next three years, Orthoscan had the only all-digital, high definition Mini C-arm which utilized flat panel detector technology.
2011 - Sale of Orthoscan to Aton, GmbH
German holding company Aton, GmbH owned a conventional C-arm company named Ziehm Imaging. They wanted to enter the United States market and targeted Orthoscan, the leading seller of Mini C-arms worldwide. After completing the sale, Aton merged Orthoscan into its Ziehm division and renamed the new entity Ziehm Orthoscan.
2015 - FM Control
Spanish manufacturing company FM Control bought the license to manufacture the Xi-Scan Mini C-arm. FM Control continues to sell the product in Europe and in other countries outside of the US.
2019 - Turner Imaging Systems
Turner Imaging Systems engineered a Mini C-arm that was small, lightweight, and battery operated, which they named the Smart-C. It is used primarily for portable applications where power is not easily accessible.
2025 - Hologic leaves the Mini C-arm Market
Hologic discontinued manufacturing of the Fluoroscan and exited the Mini C-arm market. Its remaining on-hand inventory was sold off for distribution.
2026 - Orthoscan Ziehm Introduces Next Generation Mini C-arms
The Versa is a next-generation Mini C-arm which features 4K monitors, pulsed fluoroscopy, and an advanced touch screen interface with AI options for diagnostic imaging. Orthoscan also debuted the TAU Mini C-arm, which combines fluoroscopy and arthroscopy into one for dual-imaging system.
