Ion Beam Applications (IBA) has acquired California-based Radcal Corporation, a medical device company specializing in diagnostic X-ray measurement technology.

Started in 1975, Radcal manufactures instruments that calculate doses to help physicians adjust and optimize radiation exposure during X-ray scans to spare patients from potential short- and long-term side effects. The company was the first to create an instrument that could accurately determine dose while interchanging sensors with no loss in accuracy nearly 50 years ago. Today, its equipment is designed to ensure that quality management systems for X-ray equipment meet all relevant ISO9001:2015 requirements, and together, its solutions generated $6 million in 2023 revenue.

According to IBA, bringing Radcal into its fold will provide opportunities to grow its business in the U.S. and worldwide markets and expand its Medical Imaging Quality Assurance offering into clinical settings.

"New dosage technologies are emerging, such as photocounting imagers which administer a smaller dose whilst maintaining or enhancing imaging quality. The combined IBA and RADCAL product portfolio will be able to conduct full Quality Assurance on these newer machines," Jean-Marc Bothy, president of IBA Dosimetry, told HCB News.

Radcal’s devices calculate dose, dose rate, kV (X-ray source voltage), mA (X-ray source current), and filtration characteristics (HVL) for X-ray, CT, mammography, radiation protection, and dentistry equipment.

Its solutions include its Accu-Gold+ system and family, including gold standard ion chambers, solid-state dose sensors, solid-state multi-sensors, current probes, light sensors, and displays. It also designs CT beam width tools, phantoms, and positioners. Its primary product lines include its Touch Professional and Touch Stand-alone System series, which are touchscreen displays that support the use of dose meters.

The company consists of 35 employees, all of whom are currently being integrated into IBA’s Dosimetry Business unit. The Radcal brand, which is widely known in the X-ray imaging market, will also be carefully integrated into the IBA brand.

The deal is expected to be revenue-accretive and help generate a positive EBIT in 2024.

The transaction is scheduled to be completed on February 29.

Financial details were not disclosed.

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