European Headquarters
Imaginalis
our story
From Innovative Start-up to Successful Business and wholly-owned Subsidiary of Epica International, Inc.
Co-Financed Projects
MILoRDS Project
Title: Minimally Invasive Procedures for Lasers and Robots in Diagnosis & Surgery (MILoRDS)
Measure: POR CreO FESR 2007 – 2013
Time Frame: 2009 to 2012
Project Cost: €8,000,000
Purpose: Imaginalis is the natural product of a temporary consortium (ATS) united to work on the network project MILORDS, which was co-financed by the Tuscany Region. In 2011, the project saw the collaboration of a diverse partnership coordinated by El.En. SpA, and included companies in the Tuscan opto-mechatronic cluster, as well as prestigious research institutions, such as the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, the CNR-IFAC in Sesto Fiorentino, UNIFI, and UNIPI. All partners participating in the project possessed complementary skills in mechatronics and optoelectronics and shared a strong vocation for scientific research in the field of technology transfer, as well as in-process and product innovation. This project saw the development of a CBCT imaging platform combined with an anthropomorphic robotic arm for minimally invasive laser surgery.
FORTE Project
Title: la FOtonica nella Ricerca TEranostica (FORTE)
Measure: POR CreO FESR 2007 – 2013, Plan of Action 1.5a – 1.6, One-Time Selection in R&D (2012)
Time Frame: 2013-2015
Project Cost €2.7 million (Imaginalis contributed as a subcontractor).
Purpose: To study and develop technological solutions aimed at promoting new non-invasive or minimally invasive ‘photo-theranostic’ procedures, in which photonic diagnostics (spectroscopic analysis, ionizing radiation) is used for laser surgery.
The project allowed for the development of an imaging platform built using Milords, which was combined with an anthropomorphic robotic arm to be used as a guiding and pointing system during robotic surgeries. During the FORTE project, we specifically focused on brain injuries, spinal injuries, and third ventriculo-cisternostomy in children with hydrocephalus.
Artrigo Project
Title: Artrigo
Measure: Stability Law 2017 – MD 24 September 2014, “SMART&START ITALIA”
Time Frame: December 2017 – June 2020
Project Cost: 825,540 (577,878 in funding)
Purpose: The study and development of a medical cone beam CT X-ray imaging scanner to capture sequences of the following areas for diagnostic purposes: the ear, nose and throat (ENT), the dento-maxillofacial complex, teeth, the jaw and maxilla, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), other areas of the human skull and neck, sections of the upper cervical spine, and the upper and lower limbs. The device generates 2D and 3D images of each anatomical region examined.
ComptoNM Project
Title: COMPuted TOmography and Nuclear Medicine (Compto NM)
Measure: POR FESR Toscana 2014-2020, AXIS 1 – ACTION 1.1.5 – sub-action a1. “MSME research and development projects”, Selection 2.
Time Frame: February 2018 – June 2020
Project Cost: 1,315,387.96 (total approved contribution: 627,827.98)
Partnership: Imaginalis Srl, ACTA Srl, QPREL Srl, CNR-ISTI: A. FAEDO Institute of Information Science and Technologies, University of Florence – MARIO SERIO – Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences
Purpose: Development and assessment of an imaging platform that integrates nuclear medicine sensors (PET or SPECT) and CBCT technology into a compact and transportable device dedicated to the study of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases.
CT for Human Project
Title: CT for Human
Measure: POR FESR 2014-2020 Axis 1 – Action 1.1.2 – Tuscan Region Selection
Time Frame: January 2018 – June 2018
Project Cost: 49,600 (approved contribution: 12,350.40)
Purpose: with the CT for Human project (Computed Tomography for Human Medicine), user needs were analyzed to define a ‘development plan’ for solutions to be adopted during the development phase of a radiological imaging product for the human medicine industry.
Cambiamo Project
POR CReO FESR Toscana 2007-2013 – Line 1 4 b 1) – Guarantee Fund Section 1 “Support for investments by SMEs in the industry, crafts, cooperation, and other sectors”.
Tuscany Region – Fidi – Toscana Muove
Project Cost: 565,000 (funding granted: 500,000)
Time Frame: January 2016 – January 2017
Investment program aimed at supporting business development through the creation of a new plant (Imaginalis’ current headquarters).
In 2015, Imaginalis was able to produce approximately six devices per month. Following international supply agreements and the development of new products, the need arose to double production capacity and to build at least three independent production lines. The company’s interest in the human medicine market also resulted in the need for workspaces that met certain regulations.
Finally, new headquarters would make it possible to dedicate rooms exclusively to R&D activities, which is an important component of the sector in which Imaginalis operates.
Generating New Ideas. Solving Big Problems.
Patents
Installs worldwide including human ct
Collaborative Projects
Why choose imaginalis?
Imaginalis’ consolidated design and development skills mean that we’re able to design and manufacture innovative diagnostic devices with a specific focus on customers’ needs, thus allowing us to radically simplify their workflows. In fact, we believe that process simplification is one of the best services we offer. At Imaginalis. we combine simplified workflows with high performance and ROI focus in order to contribute to the professional growth of our customers.
Our Latest Work
Here are a few images and videos from Epica Human Health’s collection that demonstrate some of the amazing results that can be achieved using our CT scanners in the field of human medicine.
Company Structure
Imaginalis Srl.
Subsidiary of Epica International, Inc,
P.IVA / CF: IT02095530503
Numero REA: FI-629199
Share capital: € 1.424.705,00 i.v.
From Innovative Start-up to Successful Business and wholly-owned Subsidiary of Epica International, Inc.
Our Story
Imaginalis began as an innovative start-up in Calenzano (FI) in 2013, with the aim of using its technical and clinical aptitude for human and veterinary interventional radiology to develop cutting-edge technologies for the medical diagnostics’ industry.
Imaginalis is the product of a temporary consortium (ATS) brought together to work on the network project MILORDS, which was co-financed by the Tuscany Region. In 2011, the project saw the collaboration of a diverse partnership coordinated by El.En. SpA, and included companies in the Tuscan opto-mechatronic cluster, as well as prestigious research institutions, such as the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, the CNR-IFAC in Sesto Fiorentino, UNIFI and UNIPI. All partners participating in the project possessed complementary skills in mechatronics and optoelectronics and shared a strong vocation for scientific research in the field of technology transfer, as well as in-process and product innovation.
As a capital-intensive technology company, Imaginalis understood the need to acquire adequate capital and open a commercial route to the world’s leading market: the United States. With this in mind, within the same year, Imaginalis’ management team, together with its US partners, and Italian colleagues at Scienzia and Fabrica Machinale (https://www.roboticom.it/it/), and US colleagues at Epica Animal Health (https://www.epicaanimalhealth.com) founded Epica International Inc. in California (https://www.epicainternational.com/).
In fact, thanks to the placement of private bonds, enough capital was raised to allow Imaginalis SRL, Scienza Machinale, Fabrica Machinale and Epica to innovate, expand, develop and market new products. Today, Imaginalis is 100%-owned by Epica International Inc.
The role played by the robotics experts Scienzia Machinale and Fabrica Machinale in Epica has allowed Imaginalis to focus on the development and consolidation of flat-panel CT technology – the technological cornerstone of isovolumetric 3D CT scanners.
Thanks to the resourcefulness, skills, and insight of the team at Imaginalis, as well as the innovation, sales, marketing, service and management skills of its US sister company, Epica Medical Innovation (Animal Health Division), the company has rapidly grown and gained the trust of its customers, thus becoming the perfect partner for veterinarians, researchers and academics around the world. To date, Epica/Imaginalis has installed nearly 400 units worldwide.
Sales revenue has soared in the past few years, as has the number of employees, 60% of whom possess a Master’s degree in Engineering. In 2016, the company moved its headquarters from Calenzano to Sesto Fiorentino, expanding from an 800 m2 space to a 3,000 m2 space. This was a necessary investment in order to comply with stringent quality standards and to meet increased production demand.
In March 2020, Imaginalis obtained an ISO 13485 certification, thus acquiring authorization to develop, produce and market medical devices. Over the course of just seven years, the company has been granted more than 30 international patents and has conducted two extensive “freedom to operate” (FTO) assessments.
As an innovative technology company, Imaginalis invests more than 20% of its revenue in R&D, safe in the knowledge that the continuous expansion of its expertise and intellectual property represent its strongest competitive advantage. Imaginalis currently designs, manufactures, and markets computerized axial tomography scanners (flat-panel CT scanners) for veterinary imaging needs. With Epica, the company has also recently developed and launched an innovative diagnostic human scanner called “SeeFactor CT3”, destined to become a game-changer in numerous anatomical areas including the orthopedic sector. Imaginalis markets two market-leading product families in the veterinary field: Vimago and Pegaso.
Vimago is a three-in-one, multi-modality diagnostic imaging platform allowing just one scanner to perform: CT3D/MPR, Fluoroscopy, and Direct Digital Radiology. In addition, the scanner is mobile, powered at 32A/220V (Vimago), and can be used in non-air-conditioned environments. The scanner is extremely easy to install and simple to use, both in terms of software and hardware. In addition, specific attention has been paid to ergonomics. The scanner has been specially designed for veterinary use.
Pegaso possesses integrated Fluoroscopy and 3D CT systems. Pegaso is also equipped with a motion compensation system that allows veterinary professionals to scan the head and neck of a horse in a standing position (up to C7-T1). When under anesthetic, horses can be scanned down to the stifle and elbow. Pegaso is also a mobile diagnostic imaging device.
SeeFactorCT3 is a new family of mobile diagnostic CT scanners for the human medical industry. At this time, we have certified a preliminary version, in addition to two additional configurations featuring “SeeFactor on Board”, which can be used onboard mobile diagnostic units such as ambulances, rendering them particularly useful in crisis scenarios.
To summarize, Imaginalis owes its success to its employees’ passion, their commitment to providing a quality service, and their dedication to putting their hearts and souls into what they do, allowing the company to rely on a cohesive, skilled, and passionate team capable of making technological dreams a reality.
Vision & Mission
We start each product development process with in-depth analysis of the needs to be satisfied through the use of dedicated, cutting-edge technologies. A compelling example is the development of our veterinary CT scanners, which are specifically designed to treat animals and do not rely on human imaging technology.
It soon became clear that we weren’t going to focus on conventional medical imaging technologies, such as multilayer CT scanners, which are increasingly powerful, high-performing machines that are capable of producing spectacular images but come with huge costs due to their intrinsically complex technologies.
At Imaginalis, we focus on a different set of values, including human and animal patient safety, pediatric and elderly patient segments, operator safety, system ease of use, environment, and the option to use our systems in non-air-conditioned rooms, lessening dose, support for crisis scenarios, such as field hospitals and mobile diagnostic units.
To summarize, our vision is focused on providing patients with a diagnosis in full respect of people and the planet, while ensuring that patients remain the key focus of the medical services sector.
Imaginalis’ is working to develop new 2D and 3D imaging platforms that are compact, light-weight, easy to transport, and ergonomically designed with patient safety and operator usability in mind, all while providing safe, speedy diagnostics, and keeping energy consumption to a minimum. In addition, these platforms have been designed to assist minimally invasive robotic surgeries thanks to their high spatial resolution, isotropic voxel, and reliable data acquired across all three spatial dimensions.
Competitive Advantage
The Market
The veterinary market is an extremely interesting sector. In fact, we’re spending an increasing amount of money on pets as we take steps towards humanizing the healthcare of animals.
The global animal health market is now worth approximately $34 billion and is growing at a 4-6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), while the global veterinary diagnostics market is set to grow at a CAGR of 9.11% from 2020 to 2023. Between 1979 and 2017, the CAGR of expenditure on veterinary and related services exceeded overall personal consumption expenditure by 340 points (https://www.nnip.com/it-IT/institutional/insights/la-salute-degli-animali-un-settore-ad-alta-crescita-sostenibile). There are about 60,000 veterinary clinics around the world, 60% of which are concentrated in the US and Europe.
To date, Imaginalis and Epica have installed nearly 400 veterinary CT scanners worldwide. In addition to being an excellent market, this sector also provided the ideal conditions to assess the technical performance and reliability of our products, while allowing us to build a comprehensive development, sales, production, technical and clinical service chain in support of our 2021 launch of advanced diagnostic imaging for human healthcare.
Image Quality
Our imaging machines are mobile and easily fit through interior clinic doors. As long as the appropriate precautions are taken regarding radiation protection, our machines can be used in imaging, operating and radiology rooms. As ionizing radiation is involved in the process, you must consult a qualified expert, who will be able to recommend suitable PPE and shields for use.
The high spatial resolution, 100 μm isotropic voxel size, and volumetric acquisition of our machines allow them to generate 3D images that are extremely faithful and intuitive. Having a 3D image gives healthcare providers a considerable advantage during diagnosis and most importantly when communicating.
Three Devices in One
Our products are multi-modal platforms that rethink and radically simplify the work of physicians and vets by optimizing procedures and guaranteeing excellent performance.
Fluoroscopy is functionally integrated with DR to simplify radiography scans performed to assess hip dysplasia in dogs. Integrating fluoroscopy with 3D CT makes it much easier to perform guided CT biopsies. All of which allows for a simple, safe, and speedy diagnosis.
Mobile CT Scanners
Our machines are portable and can easily fit through clinic doors. As long as the appropriate precautions are taken regarding radiation protection, our machines can be used in operating and radiology rooms. As ionizing radiation is involved in the process, it is mandatory to consult a qualified expert, who will be able to recommend suitable PPE and shields for use.
Reduced Costs
Our systems are mobile, compact, light-weight, and use a power supply that drastically helps to keep installation, operation, and maintenance costs down.
Our systems are much smaller than “legacy” X-ray machines, allowing them to be installed in pre-existing X-ray rooms (2.5 x 3m) requiring less infrastructure investment.
Our devices weigh between 450-600kg depending on the model, allowing them to be installed in clinics with flooring for domestic use.
Each system makes use of a standard single-phase 220V power supply and a 6-10kW system.
Air conditioning is not required, but is recommended. A PACS system for data archiving is also recommended, but not compulsory.
Each system is connected to the company via an Internet connection, thereby simplifying technical assistance and the installation of software updates.
Smart Radiology Readings
The system’s Internet connection allows for DICOM sets to be shared with remote radiology reading units. A team of certified radiologists is available to interpret and write up reports on your CT images.
Less Ionizing Radiation
Flat-panel CT technology emits pulsed rather than continuous radiation, just like conventional CT scanners, ensuring that a smaller amount of radiation is released over time, thus reducing risks to operators and patients.
Innovative Design
EPICA’s SeeFactor CT3 is our newest mobile and multi-modality HDVI imaging platform designed to deliver gapless, non-interpolated data for diagnostic, interventional & intraoperative usage in human imaging. SeeFactor CT3 offers the highest spatial resolution, lowest noise compared to any clinical 3D imaging system in the market.
Unlike conventional CT systems, SeeFactor CT3 provides non-interpolated (gapless, 100% real) image data delivering extraordinary isotropic image resolution as fine as 0.09mm on soft & hard tissue, lesion detection as small as 0.2mm and EPICA MicroRad Technology to significantly reduce the radiation dose received by the patient and surrounding healthcare delivery team.
SeeFactorCT3 allows clinicians to view 2D and 3D images in axial, sagittal, and coronal planes – because of this, SeeFactor CT3 studies can be easier to read than radiographs.
Join our team
At Imaginalis, we are looking for individuals eager to make a mark. We encourage everyone to express their personalities, and to be creative in their profession in order to contribute creative value and worth. Our company does not invest exclusively in the technical and professional growth of its staff, but promotes the development of soft-skills. It is a team effort which, leveraging on mutual strengths, is aimed at creating a stimulating and rewarding environment .
Imaginalis, as an innovative and constantly expanding company, aims to become a reference player in medical and veterinary imaging, embracing all its specific areas, from quality, to regulatory affairs, R&D, operations, marketing, sales, administration and finance, logistics and human resources . So if you are an ambitious person and at the same time eager to measure yourself with new challenges, do not hesitate to contact us for an application.
Send us your application to the following email address: info@imaginalis.it , attaching a cover letter and a European curriculum vitae.
