Hitachi Healthcare (now Fujifilm Healthcare)
Japanese imaging manufacturer with historical strength in MRI — particularly mid-field and open-MRI configurations that addressed patient populations poorly served by closed high-field systems. Also a meaningful ultrasound and value-tier CT vendor in Asia-Pacific. Acquired by Fujifilm in 2021 and integrated into Fujifilm Healthcare; the Hitachi brand sunset over 2021–2023, but the product lineage continues under Fujifilm and the global installed base remains substantial.
Company history
- 1910 — Hitachi Ltd. founded. Medical division spun up over the mid-20th century.
- 1980s — enters MRI and ultrasound markets; early permanent-magnet open MRI development.
- 1990s–2000s — Airis open MRI establishes Hitachi's mid-field / open-bore niche in the U.S. and Japan; broad acceptance in claustrophobic, bariatric, and pediatric populations.
- 2000s–2010s — Echelon closed-bore 1.5T and 3T MRI (Echelon Smart / Oval / Vega), Oasis premium 1.2T open superconducting MRI, Scenaria and Supria CT.
- 2011 — acquires Aloka (Japanese ultrasound), expanding ultrasound platform under the Hitachi-Aloka and later Arietta brands.
- March 2021 — sells Diagnostic Imaging Business to Fujifilm for ~$1.6B. Hitachi exits medical imaging; the imaging line becomes Fujifilm Healthcare.
Legacy product lines (now under Fujifilm)
- MRI — Airis II (0.3T open, workhorse), Oasis (1.2T premium open superconducting), Echelon Smart / Oval / Vega (1.5T closed bore), Trillium Oval (3T).
- CT — Supria (value-tier), Scenaria (mid-tier with large bore).
- Ultrasound — Aloka / Arietta / ProSound (post-2011 Aloka lineage), with strong cardiac and OB-GYN footprint in Japan and Asia.
Distinctive technology (legacy)
- Permanent-magnet open MRI — quench-free, helium-free operation on Airis-class systems. Lower lifetime operating cost than superconducting magnets, with the trade-off of weaker SNR and longer scan times.
- 1.2T open superconducting (Oasis) — the highest-field clinical open-MRI design, addressing bariatric and claustrophobic patients without the SNR penalty of low-field permanent magnets.
- CT large-bore (Scenaria) — broader clinical bore than Big Three workhorses, useful in oncology simulation and trauma.
Market position (historical and post-acquisition)
Specialty leader in open MRI through the 2000s–2010s. Not a volume player in closed high-field MRI versus Siemens, GE, or Philips. Strong installed base in Japan and Asia-Pacific across all imaging lines. Post-Fujifilm acquisition, the installed base continues to be supported under the Fujifilm Healthcare brand, with continued OEM service and parts.
Refurb posture
- Open MRI installed base (Airis, Oasis) is the most distinctive refurb category — buyers seeking open-MRI capability often have no current-OEM-from-scratch alternative at comparable price points.
- Echelon 1.5T appears on the refurb market regularly; software / coil inventory and Fujifilm-era service-coverage status are key variables.
- Aloka / Arietta ultrasound turns over in regional / community-cardiology refurb channels.
- Vendor brand ambiguity post-acquisition — Hitachi-branded units, Hitachi-Aloka-branded ultrasound, and Fujifilm-Healthcare-branded current product all coexist in the field.
Related
- Fujifilm Healthcare (parent, post-2021)
- Open / Extremity MRI
- MRI
- Ultrasound
- CT
- Hitachi Airis II
- Hitachi Oasis
- Esaote (open MRI competitor)