ADAC Laboratories
A former Silicon Valley medical-device company specializing in nuclear-medicine imaging equipment, processing systems, and related healthcare information technology.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
ADAC Laboratories was a Silicon Valley medical-device manufacturer and healthcare-technology company specializing in nuclear medicine. Its principal activities included the design and manufacture of gamma cameras, nuclear-medicine acquisition and processing computers, imaging software, and related clinical information systems. The company served hospitals, diagnostic facilities, and other healthcare organizations that used radiopharmaceutical imaging for diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical research. The business was incorporated in California on October 14, 1970, under the name Analytical Development Associates Corporation. It was commonly known as ADAC or ADAC Labs. The company initially developed a mixture of compact nuclear-medicine hardware and software, but its market identity increasingly centered on computer systems used to acquire, process, and interpret nuclear-medicine examinations. Products such as the CDS and DPS systems helped establish ADAC in the specialized market for nuclear-medicine information and image-processing technology. ADAC expanded its equipment portfolio during the 1980s and 1990s. Its gamma-camera range included systems marketed under names such as Argus, Genesys, Polaris, Thyrus, Transcam, Vertex, Forte, and Skylight. It also developed the EPIC detector and a molecular coincidence detection option, as well as the Pegasys nuclear-medicine processing workstation. Additional activities included radiation-treatment planning systems, positron-emission tomography, digital radiography, and healthcare information systems. Through acquisitions, the company broadened its capabilities beyond imaging hardware: SD&G Healthcare Systems was acquired in 1993, Community Health Computing in 1995, and Cortet in 1997. ADAC also became closely connected with Philips' nuclear-medicine technology. In the late 1980s it maintained Philips ARC gamma cameras under license. After Philips withdrew from the nuclear-medicine market around 1991, Philips licensed relevant nuclear technology to ADAC and another vendor. ADAC subsequently purchased Philips' nuclear-medicine patent portfolio in 1994, obtaining 13 United States patents and 56 foreign patents and patent applications. During the 1990s ADAC was a major participant in the United States gamma-camera market and reached a workforce of approximately 720 people worldwide by 1996. The company received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1996. Its corporate facilities moved from Cupertino to San Jose, Sunnyvale, and ultimately Milpitas as the business expanded. Philips acquired ADAC Laboratories in 2000 for $426 million and incorporated it into Philips Medical Systems, later Philips Healthcare. ADAC continued to appear as the submitting manufacturer on some United States Food and Drug Administration premarket filings from the Milpitas facility until about 2006. The Milpitas operation was then closed and the business was fully integrated into Philips. Although ADAC no longer operates as an independent company or active standalone brand, some of its installed systems have remained in clinical, educational, and commercial use.
History
ADAC Laboratories was a California medical-device company whose roots date to the incorporation of Analytical Development Associates Corporation on October 14, 1970. The business was associated with Silicon Valley and was initially located on Bubb Road in Cupertino. As it expanded, it moved to facilities in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and later Milpitas. In its early years, ADAC developed both hardware and software for nuclear medicine. The company became particularly known for computer systems supporting the acquisition, processing, and analysis of nuclear-medicine examinations. Its CDS and DPS systems helped establish a platform-oriented business serving hospitals and imaging departments rather than focusing only on individual imaging devices. During the late 1980s, ADAC maintained Philips ARC gamma cameras under license. Philips later withdrew from nuclear medicine, and around 1991 licensed nuclear technology to ADAC and Digital Design of France. This relationship contributed to ADAC's growth in gamma-camera manufacturing during the 1990s, when the company marketed the Argus, Genesys, Polaris, Thyrus, Transcam, Vertex, Forte, and Skylight systems. It also developed the EPIC detector, a molecular coincidence detection option, the Pegasys processing workstation, and radiation-treatment planning products. ADAC expanded into adjacent healthcare software and information systems through acquisitions. In 1993 it acquired SD&G Healthcare Systems, which specialized in radiology information systems. In 1995 it acquired Community Health Computing, active in laboratory and radiology information systems. In 1997 it acquired Cortet, a developer of integrated systems for cardiac catheterization laboratories. These transactions broadened ADAC from a nuclear-medicine equipment supplier into a more diversified medical information-technology company. The company was involved in patent litigation with Elscint in 1993. Elscint alleged patent infringement, and ADAC subsequently brought its own claim concerning Philips patents. In 1994 ADAC purchased Philips' nuclear-medicine patent portfolio, consisting of 13 United States patents and 56 foreign patents and applications. The acquisition gave ADAC additional intellectual-property assets as it competed in the nuclear-imaging market. The 1990s represented ADAC's strongest period as a gamma-camera producer. It was described as a United States domestic-market leader and employed approximately 720 people worldwide in 1996. That year it received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Its product scope also included positron-emission tomography, digital radiography, healthcare information systems, nuclear-medicine processing-only workstations, and radiation-treatment planning systems. Philips acquired ADAC Laboratories in 2000 for $426 million. The company was incorporated into Philips Medical Systems, later Philips Healthcare, and no longer developed as an independent corporate brand. ADAC continued to operate from its Milpitas location for several years and appeared as the manufacturer on some FDA premarket submissions until about 2006. The Milpitas facility then closed, completing the operational integration into Philips. Former ADAC systems have nevertheless continued to be reported in clinical, educational, and commercial settings after the company's independent existence ended.
- 2006
Milpitas facility closure
[1]The Milpitas operation closed around 2006, after which ADAC was fully integrated into Philips.
- 2000
Acquisition by Philips
[1]Philips acquired ADAC Laboratories for $426 million and brought it into Philips Medical Systems.
- 1997
Cortet acquisition
[1]ADAC acquired Cortet, adding integrated cardiac-catheterization laboratory computer systems to its portfolio.
- 1996
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
[1]ADAC received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and employed approximately 720 people worldwide during the year.
- 1995
Community Health Computing acquisition
[1]ADAC acquired Community Health Computing to expand its laboratory and radiology information-systems capabilities.
- 1994
Philips patent portfolio acquisition
[1]ADAC acquired Philips' nuclear-medicine portfolio of 13 United States patents and 56 foreign patents and applications.
- 1993
Expansion into radiology information systems
[1]ADAC acquired SD&G Healthcare Systems and became more active in radiology information technology.
- 1991
Philips licenses nuclear-medicine technology
[1]After Philips exited the nuclear-medicine market, it licensed relevant technology to ADAC and another vendor.
- 1987
Philips ARC licensing relationship
[1]ADAC maintained Philips ARC gamma cameras under license during the late 1980s.
- 1975
Shift toward nuclear-medicine computer systems
[1]ADAC increasingly became known for computer systems supporting nuclear-medicine acquisition and processing.
Products and positioning
Specialist developer and manufacturer of nuclear-medicine imaging hardware, image-processing systems, and healthcare information technology.
Nuclear-medicine imaging
Gamma cameras
ADAC's central hardware category consisted of gamma cameras for detecting radiation from radiopharmaceuticals and producing planar or tomographic nuclear-medicine images. The company marketed multiple generations and configurations, including the Argus, Genesys, Polaris, Thyrus, Transcam, Vertex, Forte, and Skylight families. These systems supported hospital nuclear-medicine departments and helped establish ADAC as a leading United States gamma-camera supplier during the 1990s.
Nuclear-medicine acquisition and processing
CDS and DPS systems
CDS and DPS were computer systems used to acquire and process nuclear-medicine examinations. They represented ADAC's shift from smaller hardware and software projects toward integrated clinical computing platforms. The systems helped imaging departments manage detector data, reconstruct examinations, and support interpretation within nuclear-medicine workflows.
Nuclear-medicine processing workstation
Pegasys
Pegasys was a nuclear-medicine processing workstation designed to support image analysis and clinical workflow after data acquisition. It formed part of ADAC's broader workstation and software portfolio, which connected imaging hardware with processing, review, and diagnostic tasks in nuclear-medicine departments.
Nuclear-medicine detector technology
EPIC detector
The EPIC detector was part of ADAC's detector and gamma-camera technology portfolio. ADAC also offered a molecular coincidence detection option, extending the company's work beyond conventional gamma-camera configurations toward specialized nuclear-imaging applications.
Radiation oncology software
Radiation treatment planning systems
ADAC developed radiation-treatment planning systems for use in oncology-related clinical planning. These products complemented its imaging and clinical-computing activities by applying specialized software to treatment preparation and radiation-management workflows.
Molecular imaging
Positron emission tomography systems
Positron-emission tomography was among the imaging categories associated with ADAC's later product activities. PET systems use radiotracers to visualize physiological processes and broadened the company's presence beyond conventional gamma-camera and SPECT imaging.
Healthcare information technology
Healthcare information systems
ADAC's healthcare information-systems activities included laboratory and radiology information technology, supported in part by acquisitions such as SD&G Healthcare Systems and Community Health Computing. The business connected imaging and diagnostic operations with broader clinical data-management workflows.
Brand decisions
2000
Sale to Philips Medical SystemsM&ABackground
ADAC had become a substantial nuclear-medicine imaging and healthcare information-technology supplier.
Action taken
Philips acquired ADAC Laboratories for $426 million and incorporated it into Philips Medical Systems.
Aftermath
ADAC ceased to operate as an independent company, while its products and technology were absorbed into Philips' medical-imaging organization.
Acquisition price. $426 million (2000)
1997
Acquire CortetM&ABackground
ADAC was broadening its clinical-computing activities into adjacent hospital departments.
Action taken
ADAC acquired Cortet, a developer of integrated computer systems for cardiac catheterization laboratories.
Aftermath
ADAC added cardiac-catheterization laboratory systems to its healthcare technology portfolio.
1995
Acquire Community Health ComputingM&ABackground
ADAC was expanding its portfolio of clinical information systems.
Action taken
ADAC acquired Community Health Computing, which specialized in laboratory and radiology information systems.
Aftermath
The acquisition added laboratory and radiology information technology to ADAC's business scope.
1994
Acquire Philips nuclear-medicine patent portfolioM&ABackground
ADAC was competing in nuclear imaging while involved in patent litigation with Elscint.
Action taken
ADAC purchased Philips' nuclear-medicine portfolio of 13 United States patents and 56 foreign patents and applications.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened ADAC's intellectual-property position in nuclear medicine.
1993
Acquire SD&G Healthcare SystemsM&ABackground
ADAC sought to broaden its activities beyond imaging hardware into healthcare information systems.
Action taken
ADAC acquired SD&G Healthcare Systems, a radiology information-systems specialist.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded ADAC's radiology information-technology capabilities.
1991
Expand after Philips' nuclear-medicine exitStrategyBackground
Philips withdrew from the nuclear-medicine market while retaining relevant technology and intellectual-property assets.
Action taken
ADAC licensed Philips nuclear technology and expanded its gamma-camera and nuclear-medicine systems business.
Aftermath
The relationship supported ADAC's growth as a major gamma-camera producer during the 1990s.
Recent events
- 2006
ADAC Milpitas operations close and integration into Philips is completed[1]
Other
ADAC continued to appear on certain FDA premarket filings from Milpitas until approximately 2006, when the facility closed and the business became fully integrated into Philips.
- 2000
Philips acquires ADAC Laboratories[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Philips acquired ADAC Laboratories for $426 million and integrated the company into Philips Medical Systems.
- 1997
ADAC acquires Cortet[1]
M&A
ADAC acquired Cortet, a developer of integrated computer systems for cardiac catheterization laboratories.
- 1996
ADAC receives Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award[1]
Other
ADAC received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, recognizing organizational and quality-management performance.
- 1995
ADAC acquires Community Health Computing[1]
M&A
ADAC acquired Community Health Computing, whose activities included laboratory and radiology information systems.
- 1994
ADAC purchases Philips nuclear-medicine patent portfolio[1]
M&A
ADAC acquired Philips' nuclear-medicine patent portfolio, comprising 13 United States patents and 56 foreign patents and patent applications.
- 1993
Elscint patent litigation involving ADAC[1]
Lawsuit
Elscint sued ADAC for alleged patent infringement. ADAC responded with a related patent-infringement claim involving Philips patents.
- 1993
ADAC acquires SD&G Healthcare Systems[1]
M&A
ADAC acquired SD&G Healthcare Systems, a company specializing in radiology information systems.
- 1987
ADAC maintains Philips ARC gamma-camera installed base under license[1]
Other
ADAC maintained Philips ARC gamma cameras under license during the late 1980s, strengthening its position in nuclear-medicine imaging.
- 1970
ADAC Laboratories incorporated in California[1]
Other
The company was incorporated as Analytical Development Associates Corporation, later known as ADAC Laboratories.
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