GE HealthCare announces digital integration between bkActiv™ intraoperative ultrasound system and Medtronic Stealth AXiS™ surgical navigation system

Key Terms

intraoperative ultrasound medical

Intraoperative ultrasound is the use of real‑time sound‑wave imaging by surgeons during an operation to see internal organs, tumors, blood vessels and surgical tools as they work. Think of it as a live map or GPS inside the body that helps surgeons find targets, avoid damage, and make quicker decisions. Investors care because wider use can improve outcomes, shorten surgeries, raise demand for compatible devices and software, and influence hospital purchasing and reimbursement trends.

surgical navigation system medical

A surgical navigation system is a medical technology that helps surgeons see the exact position of instruments and implants inside the body during an operation, much like a GPS guides a driver. It matters to investors because wider use can raise hospitals’ spending on equipment and disposable parts, improve patient outcomes and procedure efficiency, and depend on regulatory approval and insurance payment rules that drive market growth and company revenue.

u.s. food and drug administration (fda) regulatory

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a government agency responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of food, medicines, vaccines, and other health-related products. For investors, the FDA’s decisions can significantly impact companies in the healthcare and food industries, as approval or rejection of products can influence a company's success and stock performance.

color doppler medical

A color Doppler is an ultrasound technique that paints moving blood flow in different colors on a live anatomical image, showing direction and relative speed much like a weather radar overlays wind on a map. Investors care because it is a key feature in diagnostic ultrasound systems and vascular equipment—demand, regulatory clearance, and reimbursement for devices with reliable color Doppler capability can directly affect sales, pricing power, and competitive positioning in medical imaging markets.

transducers medical

Transducers are devices that convert one form of energy or signal into another, for example turning pressure, sound, motion, or light into an electrical signal that machines can read. Investors care because transducers are core components in medical devices, industrial sensors, and consumer electronics—think of them as the microphone or pressure gauge inside a product—and their performance, cost and reliability directly affect a product’s market value and sales prospects.

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• bkActiv provides real-time visualization and now offers digital integration with the Stealth AXiS surgical navigation system, together bringing planning, navigation and robotics into a unified workflow
• Digital integration designed to help neurosurgeons assess anatomy in real-time and support surgical precision and clinical confidence
• Collaboration builds on existing strategic alliance between GE HealthCare and Medtronic to accelerate next-generation technology innovation across the enterprise

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GE HealthCare today announced a digital integration between the GE HealthCare bkActiv™ intraoperative ultrasound (iUS) system and the Medtronic Stealth AXiS™ surgical navigation system, which is now commercially available to provide real-time advanced imaging during cranial procedures to complement surgical planning and navigation workflows. This integration builds on an existing strategic alliance between the companies to accelerate next-generation technology innovation across the enterprise, which extends the relationship between GE HealthCare’s Surgical Innovations and Medtronic.

Through this new digital integration, neurosurgeons will be able to incorporate bkActiv as a “plug-and-play” real-time visualization solution during procedures using the Stealth AXiS surgical navigation system without disrupting established workflows. The Stealth AXiS surgical navigation system was recently cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cranial procedures in the United States, and brings planning, navigation and robotics together into a single, integrated solution to deliver real-time insight in the operating room.

“Real-time visualization is critical for cranial surgical teams to assess anatomy, navigate changes, and make critical decisions in the surgical suite,” said Heidi Seerden, General Manager, Surgical Innovations, GE HealthCare. “We are proud to build on our long-time collaboration with Medtronic to bring together bkActiv with the Stealth AXiS surgical navigation system in a way that supports our shared goals of supporting surgical precision and clinician confidence.”

During cranial procedures, surgeons may encounter “brain shift”- a natural movement or deformation of the brain during surgery that reduces the accuracy of pre-surgical images during the procedure. bkActiv is designed to provide real time visualization that may help clinicians assess anatomy changes such as brain shift by supplying the live iUS image to the Stealth AXiS surgical navigation system, where it can be viewed alongside pre-operative MRI or CT images.

bkActiv also includes features and dedicated software exam types to support visualization and workflow in the neurosurgical suite, including:

• Image mirror feature that duplicates the ultrasound image on the scanner’s glass user interface, so surgical staff can see the ultrasound image when the clinical display monitor is turned toward the surgeon
• Sensitive color Doppler to visualize blood flow during surgeries
• Specialized algorithms to support uniform image resolution and detail around areas of interest
• Fully immersible transducers for easy sterilization and single-use needle guides
• Transducer Smart Button™ technology that allows the surgeon to freeze, store and print images with one press
• A sterilizable remote control that enables the surgeon to control the bkActiv scanner from the sterile field

GE HealthCare and Medtronic plan to debut this digital integration at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting, May 1–4, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. For more information on bkActiv, visit: https://www.gehealthcare.com/products/ultrasound/surgical-visualization-and-guidance/bkactiv.

About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.

GE HealthCare is a leading global healthcare solutions provider of advanced medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and AI, cloud and software solutions that help clinicians tackle the world’s most complex diseases. Serving patients and providers for 130 years, GE HealthCare is delivering bold innovations designed for the next era of medicine across its Imaging, Advanced Visualization Solutions, Patient Care Solutions, and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics segments to help clinicians deliver more personalized, precise patient care. We are a $20.6 billion business with approximately 54,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits.

GE HealthCare is proud to be among 2026 Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies™.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409643208/en/

GE HealthCare Media Contact:
Eric Tatro
M +1 312 459 6140
eric.tatro@gehealthcare.com

Source: GE HealthCare