Orthoscan
Redefining Interventional Orthopedic Imaging

Nelson Mendes, President and CEO

In orthopedic procedures, precision is everything. Diagnostic imaging like digital X-rays can show the ‘issue,’ but interventional imaging helps surgeons ‘fix it’ in real time as anatomy begins to move.

Yet for years, extremity-focused interventional imaging hadn’t received the dedicated attention it required. Systems were shaped by radiology workflows which were excellent for diagnostics but not for the pace of live surgery.

Surgeons needed imaging that delivered clinically relevant clarity at the exact moment of action, reducing uncertainty and supporting confident, real-time decisions. Perfecting this category required a level of dedication, engineering depth, and clinical partnership that few companies were willing to invest in.

That is exactly what Orthoscan did. For more than 20 years, the company has focused its strategy on developing orthopedic imaging devices specifically for intervention. The company’s devices offer real-time fluoroscopic intraoperative imaging built solely to support surgeons during the procedure. The technology is engineered for clinical relevance, giving surgeons the clarity to make the right call in the moments that matter most.

Today, Orthoscan offers a suite of compact mini C-arms that give surgeons instantaneous clarity, mobility, and precision absent in that large radiology systems. Ziehm Imaging and Orthoscan are among the only global groups dedicated exclusively to interventional imaging. Today, Ziehm-Orthoscan, Inc. carries forward this singular focus, which has helped these organizations become the leading players in the extremity orthopedic imaging market.

“Interventional imaging must earn its place in the operating room. At Orthoscan, our singular focus is delivering real-time accuracy that strengthens surgical decisions and elevates outcomes,” says Nelson Mendes, president and CEO.

A Market Gap That Shaped a Mission

In the vast medical imaging systems industry, the company’s focus is shaped by decades of experience. In year’s past, the market was dominated by larger imaging giants with broad offerings, and many treated interventional tools as peripheral products rather than specialties. These left surgeons relying on bulky, general-purpose systems engineered for radiology floors and machines optimized for still images, not the live, precise adjustments required in an operating room.

This mismatch created two long-standing barriers: extremity procedures were forced into traditional hospital settings, while surgeons lacked the real-time clarity needed to confidently guide delicate intraoperative decisions. It highlighted the need for an extremity-focused interventional imaging solution that delivers surgical control in both hospital and outpatient settings.

Orthoscan identified this underserved market need in the space and responded by designing compact, precise, intuitive imaging solutions designed to provide real-time, high-definition clarity at the point of care in the operating environment. By enabling extremity procedures in clinics and outpatient centers in addition to large hospitals, its systems help reduce the overall cost of care while maintaining high clinical quality.

Technology That Remains Clinically Relevant

Medical technology is cluttered with buzzwords like AI, automation, robotics, and ‘smart imaging.’ Orthoscan’s team grounds its innovation strategy in a single principle: if a feature doesn’t improve clinical outcomes, it doesn’t belong in the product. The company invests significantly in surveying global advancements and conducting R&D. It evaluates innovation rigorously, prioritizing measurable clinical impact over industry buzz. Every piece of technology integrated into an Orthoscan C-arm ensures that imaging detail helps surgeons work with greater clarity, confidence, and precision. Its engineering is focused on meaningful, clinically relevant improvements instead of feature accumulation.

That level of progress starts with studying how surgeons move, decide, and adjust during procedures, then engineering systems that match those rhythms. Each new capability is stress-tested across speed, image fidelity, durability, and responsiveness before reaching a surgeon. By refining hardware and software in rapid, iterative cycles and collaborating continuously with advisory boards and clinical partners across the U.S., Europe and other regions, Orthoscan ensures its technology reflects actual surgical practice.

Built In-House for True Imaging Control

Behind every image a surgeon sees, there is an entire imaging chain at work from the X-ray energy that captures the anatomy, detector that reads it, processing that reconstructs it, and display that finally shows it. Most companies assemble these pieces from generic, off-the-shelf components.

Orthoscan takes a different path. Instead of stitching together outside parts, the company develops this imaging chain in-house, from X-ray generation to detectors, processors, and software pipelines. This vertical engineering approach allows the company to precisely tune every component for extremity intervention, ensuring uniformity, speed, and image fidelity that match the realities of orthopedic workflows.

“We build the imaging chain ourselves because only then can we control the clarity, the speed, and the consistency surgeons rely on in the OR,” says Mendes.

Service, Culture and Support That Don’t End at Installation

Selling interventional imaging systems is not transactional. These are capital devices with significant investments that require long-term support, continuous software evolution, and ongoing clinical guidance.

The company maintains a direct, nationwide service organization capable of dispatching qualified technicians to any site in the U.S. within 24 hours. Replacement parts ship overnight when needed. Technicians are highly trained, often taking a year or more to reach full proficiency.

Beyond technical support, Orthoscan provides clinical assistance through registered radiologic technologists who help customers to use systems safely, effectively, and to their full potential. Together, technical and clinical service ensures confidence, and productivity throughout the device’s life cycle.

What helps them achieve this efficiency lies in its culture. With more than 200 direct employees and thousands of indirect contributors, Orthoscan fosters a sense of ownership across teams. Engineers, trainers, field representatives, and service personnel share pride in a common mission and long-term vision, a passion sustained over 20 years and a key differentiator for the company.

Client Victories and RealWorld Impact

Orthoscan’s impact is most evident in the hands of its customers. Across orthopedic clinics, trauma centers, and elite sports programs, its systems enable faster decisions, cleaner procedures, and consistently stronger outcomes. In major U.S. stadiums, many teams rely on the company’s devices to assess injuries within minutes, ensuring athletes receive immediate and accurate guidance.

In trauma environments, especially when working with small and complex joints like wrist, surgeons trust its real-time clarity to perform reconstructions with confidence. The live visibility reduces guesswork and invasiveness, improves surgical control, and helps patients recover sooner with fewer complications. It is proof that Orthoscan’s technology delivers when the stakes are highest.

A Future Shaped by Real-Time Imaging

Looking ahead, the company expects interventional imaging to play an even larger role in orthopedic care. As new technologies emerge and procedural techniques evolve, more interventions will rely on real-time imaging support. Orthoscan is preparing for this future by continuing its rapid innovation cycle and expanding the types of procedures that can benefit from compact, extremity-focused imaging.

Whether in a trauma bay, clinic or stadium, Orthoscan gives surgeons real time clarity and the confidence to act when it matters most. Its technology is now woven into everyday orthopedic care and the company’s impact continues to raise the standard of treatment across the world.