The Agfa-Gevaert Group subsidiary of Bayer AG purchased Sterling Diagnostic Imaging Inc., giving getting a boost just as it is preparing for an initial public offering that it plans in the second quarter of this year. The Sterling business doubles the size of Agfa's medical imaging revenues and strengthens its presence in the US medical imaging market.

Digital mammography's real potential is still unknown, though proponents argue it will find more cancers than conventional film screen mammography. Its acceptance could also lead to the development of adjunctive technologies that can differentiate cancerous from benign tissue.

Large diagnostic imaging companies are recognizing that one company can't build everything from scratch.