TDB Supports Development of Indigenous 32-Slice CT Scanner

The Technology Development Board (TDB), which works under the Department of Science and Technology, has signed an agreement with Panacea Medical Technologies Private Limited of Malur in Karnataka to fund the development and commercial rollout of an indigenous 32-slice computed tomography scanner. The Ministry of Science and Technology announced the agreement on 15 October 2026.

Why it matters

Medical devices have been marked out as a priority sector under the Make in India programme, and high end diagnostic equipment is still largely bought from abroad. By putting money behind a home grown scanner, the Board is trying to move Indian firms up the ladder from assembling imported parts to designing the machine itself. Demand at home is climbing as hospitals expand, as long term illnesses spread and as doctors need a quick and accurate picture of what is wrong.

About the company and the machine

Panacea Medical Technologies is an Indian manufacturer whose work has been in radiotherapy and radiology. It has built up strength in high precision imaging and in the modules, processes and products used for medical imaging and the treatment of cancer. The new project takes it into diagnostic imaging proper, with a scanner designed for use across many clinical departments.

A computed tomography machine rotates an X-ray source around the patient while digital detectors catch what passes through. Computer algorithms then reconstruct those readings into cross-sectional images, giving a detailed view of structures inside the body. Building one calls for exact engineering, careful integration of imaging components and strict calibration, so that the images can be trusted and the patient stays safe.

What the Board said

The Secretary of the Board, Shri Rajesh Kumar Pathak, said an indigenous scanner fits the goal of making high end medical devices in India, and that the support is meant to encourage medical technology companies to design their own answers to the country health needs while opening a path to markets abroad. The promoter of the company thanked the Board and said the tie up would speed up its work on diagnostic imaging technology and help make advanced scanning available more widely across India.