I-Plants systems

What I-Plants systems does

I-Plants Systems (株式会社 i-Plants Systems) is a Japan-based medical imaging software company founded in September 2007 as a spin-off from Iwate Prefectural University, originating from a Japan Science and Technology Agency-funded project on artificial joint pre-operative planning. The company develops, manufactures, and sells 3D medical image processing software that converts DICOM data (CT, MRI) into 3D models for visualization, measurement, and 3D printing output. Its core product family centers on Volume Extractor (a DICOM-based volume rendering and segmentation tool priced at ¥80,000 standard / ¥48,000 academic), with companion products JointVision (orthopedic pre-operative planning with deep learning bone segmentation), Beamsense Volume Analyzer (volume analysis module), and VE-TEE (transesophageal echocardiography simulation co-developed with Iwate Medical University).

The company's business model is built on one-time perpetual software licenses distributed primarily through direct website downloads, complemented by academic and medical conference exhibitions (MEDTEC Japan, Innovation Japan, CARS). Distribution outside Japan is handled through Korean channel partners NT Medi. Co and Bio Reference Labs, established in June 2014. Target customers are orthopedic surgery departments, dental and oral surgery programs (notably Tokyo Dental University), and medical imaging research institutions, with the primary use case being pre-operative planning for artificial joint replacement and dental/maxillofacial procedures. Pricing is tiered (Mini ¥30,000; Light ¥50,000; Full ¥80,000) to accommodate both academic and clinical buyers.

I-Plants Systems operates as a privately held, founder-managed venture headquartered at the Iwate Collaboration MIU research center in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, with no disclosed institutional investment or parent company. The company has received recognition including a CARS 2007 poster session first place and the 27th SME Excellent New Technology/New Products Award in 2015, and has continued iterative product releases through 2024, including facility expansion at its Morioka location. Revenue, headcount, and ownership are not publicly disclosed, consistent with its profile as a small, bootstrapped, university-derived specialty software business.

Name

I-Plants systems

Legal name

株式会社 i-Plants Systems

Website

https://i-plants.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

I-Plants Systems is a Japan-based medical imaging software company that develops DICOM-based 3D visualization and pre-operative planning tools (Volume Extractor, JointVision, VE-TEE), sold via perpetual licenses to orthopedic, dental, and medical research institutions in Japan and Korea.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Imaging Software

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (33911)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Radiology AI, CAD & Advanced Visualization Software (HLAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical & Dental Prototyping (Models, Guides, Pre-Op Planning) (IMAAAFAI)

Keywords

• Medical imaging software
• DICOM visualization tools
• Preoperative planning software
• Bone segmentation AI
• 3D medical rendering

Headquarters

HQ city

Takigawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software License Sales: One-time perpetual license sales of medical imaging software including Volume Extractor, JointVision, and Beamsense products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

I-Plants Systems develops and sells 3D medical image processing software that converts DICOM (CT/MRI) data into editable 3D anatomical models for visualization, segmentation, measurement, and STL export to 3D printers. Its core products — Volume Extractor, JointVision, Beamsense Volume Analyzer, and VE-TEE — are licensed on a perpetual basis to orthopedic hospitals, dental surgery departments, and medical imaging research institutions for pre-operative planning, implant templating, and diagnostic simulation.

Product overview

I-Plants Systems develops a portfolio of medical imaging software products centered around Volume Extractor, a core 3D image processing platform for DICOM medical data. The ecosystem includes JointVision (orthopedic pre-operative planning with deep learning bone segmentation), Beamsense Volume Analyzer (analysis module), and VE-TEE (cardiovascular ultrasound simulation, co-developed with Iwate Medical University). These products work with CT/MRI data to generate 3D visualizations, measurements, and STL outputs for medical 3D printing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Volume Extractor: 3D medical image processing software for volume rendering, segmentation, and isosurface generation from CT/MRI DICOM data
• JointVision
• Beamsense Volume Analyzer
• VE-TEE

Products and services

• Volume Extractor Flagship 3D medical image processing software that converts DICOM (CT/MRI) data into editable 3D anatomical models for visualization, segmentation, measurement, and STL export for 3D printing. Sold in tiered Full, Light, and Mini variants to hospitals, dental and orthopedic departments, and medical imaging researchers in Japan.
• JointVision Pre-operative planning support software for orthopedic surgery that adds deep learning-based bone segmentation and surgical measurement tools on top of the Volume Extractor 3D rendering engine, targeting orthopedic surgeons and joint replacement planning workflows.
• Beamsense Volume Analyzer Companion volumetric analysis software that provides quantitative volume measurement and analysis capabilities for 3D medical imaging datasets, used by clinicians and researchers alongside Volume Extractor.
• VE-TEE Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) diagnostic simulation software developed by I-Plants Systems to support cardiac ultrasound imaging training and diagnostic simulation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Volume Extractor used for cardiovascular 3D model production since 2015

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NT Medi. Co (Korea)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean business partner established in June 2014 for Volume Extractor distribution in South Korea. NT Medi. Co is a medical technology company operating in the Korean market.
• Bio Reference LabscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean business partner established in June 2014 for Volume Extractor distribution in South Korea. Bio Reference Labs operates in the medical diagnostics sector.
• Iwate Prefecture University (岩手県立大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrigin university of the company. Located at Iwate Prefecture University Regional Collaboration Research Center. Source of foundational technology from the Japan Science and Technology Agency's Original Seeds Development project.
• Iwate Medical University (岩手医科大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development partner for VE-TEE transesophageal echocardiography diagnostic simulation software since 2019.
• Iwate Prefecture University Advanced Visualization Research Institute (岩手県立大学先端可視化研究所)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for advanced visualization technologies. Listed as a related link on company website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Philips (IntelliSpace Portal): Philips IntelliSpace Portal is an enterprise medical imaging platform with advanced visualization, AI-based analysis, and surgical planning modules. It competes in the broader medical imaging software ecosystem where I-Plants operates.
• Stratasys: Stratasys is a major medical 3D printing company whose software ecosystem (GrabCAD Print, etc.) integrates with DICOM-to-print workflows. They overlap with I-Plants in the surgical planning-to-3D-print workflow for orthopedics and dental.
• Brainlab: Brainlab offers surgical planning software across multiple specialties including orthopedic and spine, with broader enterprise hospital integration. Their platform overlaps with I-Plants' pre-operative planning capabilities but on a larger scale.
• Siemens Healthineers (syngo.via): Siemens' syngo.via imaging software provides advanced visualization and post-processing for CT/MRI data, including orthopedic and cardiac planning features. Competes with Volume Extractor for the radiology and surgical planning user base.
• Stryker (Mako Surgical): Stryker's Mako platform provides AI-assisted orthopedic surgical planning for joint replacement—the same core orthopedic use case as JointVision. As a major orthopedic device company, Stryker has vastly greater resources for AI development and hospital sales.

Direct peers

• OsiriX (Pixmeo): OsiriX is a widely-used DICOM viewer with 3D visualization and segmentation capabilities for medical imaging. While primarily macOS-focused, it competes with Volume Extractor for medical professionals needing DICOM-to-3D conversion.
• 3D Systems (D2P / Geomagic): 3D Systems' D2P (DICOM-to-Print) and Geomagic software compete with Volume Extractor in the DICOM-to-3D-model workflow for medical and dental applications, particularly for patient-specific surgical planning and 3D printing output.
• Materialise: Materialise's Mimics software is the leading medical 3D image processing platform for converting DICOM (CT/MRI) data into 3D models for surgical planning and 3D printing—directly competing with Volume Extractor in the same orthopedic and dental planning use cases.

Emerging players

• 3D Slicer: 3D Slicer is a free, open-source medical image computing platform with extensive segmentation and 3D visualization features. It represents a free alternative to Volume Extractor for academic and research users, with growing AI segmentation capabilities.

Regional players

• Canon Medical Systems (Vitrea): Canon Medical offers Vitrea advanced visualization software for medical imaging workflows, with strong presence in the Japanese market where I-Plants primarily operates. Overlaps in volume rendering and 3D visualization use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about I-Plants systems