The disruptive medtech M&A of recent years was not matched in the past year for volume, but there were isolated outbreaks of major activity, as shown in our company rankings. 

The global market for breast cancer imaging and biopsy technologies is expected to reach $5.8bn by 2022, a CAGR of 5.9%, driven by innovation technologies and machine-learning tools that serve as "second readers" to help radiologists triage images and find cancers. Many radiologists believe that mammography will remain the most widely used screening tool, but that digital breast tomosynthesis will ultimately become the gold standard. Here's a close look at the overall breast imaging and biopsy market, highlighting different modalities and key players, and offering the real-world use perspective from three radiologists at Kaiser Permanente, San Diego.

Device fundraising during the fourth quarter totaled $2.6 billion, making it the strongest quarter of the year. Q4 M&A activity reached $3.9 billion, higher than Q3's $3.4 billion, but still one of the lowest quarters of the year. Both fourth quarter diagnostics financings and M&As hit an all-year low of $622 million, and $2.8 million, respectively.

If the beginning of 2017 was marked by doubts around whether and how the FDA would act with respect to complex diagnostics, we enter 2018 feeling that slow-moving vessel may finally be turning.