Insights

The Strategic Value of Building an In-House 3D Lab: Why the Time Is Now

Webinar presented by Radiology Business; sponsored by Canon Medical

Featuring:

• Kimberly Hatch; Banner Health
• Shannon Walters; EMIT3D
• Tina Nelson; Henry Ford Health
• Rami Shorti; EMIT3D

The value of in-house 3D post-processing labs can take many forms—whether it’s faster turnaround times, stronger collaboration across care teams, enhanced patient care, cost savings, or revenue optimization. How that value is realized, however, depends on the priorities and needs of each institution.

This summary captures the ROI insights and forward-looking strategies discussed by imaging experts from leading healthcare organizations, providing a guide to understanding value by understanding what matters most to your institution.

Enterprise Value Beyond Radiology

No longer used by radiologists alone, 3D imaging is growing in demand across the enterprise. Each expert discussed 3D imaging’s undeniable value in shifting the way care decisions are made across cardiology, oncology, neurology and more specialties. They shared how 3D images are an essential tool that unlocks critical data to support complex clinical decisions, enhance treatment planning, inform surgical choices and improve procedural outcomes.

As Rami Shorti noted, “We’re moving beyond diagnosis into treatment planning, operational efficiency, and even surgical outcomes.”

Cardiology is a case in point: new structural heart procedures, advanced cardiac CT, and MR imaging all demand 3D post-processing to help plan procedures and customize interventions. Cardiologists need tailored outputs, and in-house 3D labs can provide more timely responses.

Why Now: More Data, Fewer Radiologists

3D post-processing is no longer optional in an environment where large, complex datasets are generated on every scan. All panelists pointed out that the growing demand for precision data and timely clinical insights is outpacing the growth of practicing radiologists.

Shannon Walters emphasized, “The data from every scan is increasing monumentally, but radiologist growth is not. Other specialties now realize the value in this imaging, too, and they want access.”

The experts indicated that in-house processing has expanded throughout the enterprise, and they are now able to work more cohesively with radiologists and physicians to reduce the added burden on tasks beyond their roles.

 

When Does an In-House 3d Lab Make Sense? 

When asked what is prompting more organizations to bring 3D imaging in-house, there was consensus among the imaging leaders that the decision isn’t based on a universal timeline, but rather on an organization’s specific clinical trajectory. There are specific triggers to look for, and identifying key institutional milestones becomes the tipping point.

As Shannon Walters noted, “every hospital is going to be growing at its own rate. If they add clinical services, that’s going to increase the value of 3D at their site.”

Rami Shorti added that this is the point where a lab needs to be “proactive… not… passive“ and it’s then that the strategic advantages of internal enterprise 3D services become truly apparent.

This proactive approach is especially critical for complex services like structural heart, where the proliferation of new devices and tailored care pathways makes the advanced metrics from an in-house lab far more critical than a decade ago.

In-House vs. Outsourced: Agility, Consistency and Collaboration

When asked about the benefits of internal vs external 3D service providers, the experts agreed that outsourced 3D services can limit flexibility and delay turnaround, while in-house labs improve efficiency and enable real-time collaboration.

When physicians and technologists work directly together the value is undeniable. Sitting side-by-side allows them to better manage unique patient circumstances as well as develop custom protocols as needs arise. The immediate feedback loop builds trust and creates consistency between care teams, ultimately driving better care decisions and better control of costs.

As Tina Nelson stated, “We have actually improved the quality of our images from the scanners . . . being able to adjust scans on the fly or even their protocols at the scanner. . . [with] outsourcing, you don’t have the ability to do that.”

Kimberly Hatch added, “A conversation that doesn’t take a lot of time but is essential for [radiologists’] needs is difficult to have in an outsourced environment.” “It’s not just about cost anymore. It’s turnaround time, clinical flexibility, and innovation. That’s what you lose when you outsource.”

A Clinical and Financial Strategic Investment

When asked to describe the ROI aspects of in-house 3D labs, the experts talked about how they were able to streamline operations, optimize scanner utilization, and empower staff to focus on their area of expertise.

One impactful example was the way they were able to shift post-processing responsibilities from radiologists, or technologists at the scanner, to dedicated 3D staff. This change alone improved throughput, reduced delays and enabled radiologists to focus on high-value diagnostic tasks.

Kimberly Hatch explained, “Someone’s got to make these measurements. Is it going to be a radiologist who’s very expensive. . .  or is it going to be a highly educated 3D technologist who can allow the radiologist to do their job [because] we give them their information?”

For many health systems, the operational gains and revenue protection from better scanner utilization, resource optimization, and enterprise-wide scalability position internal 3D services as a clinically and financially strategic investment.

As Tina Nelson stated with certainty, “It produces more revenue for the hospital for us to have a lab in our own facility.”

Building and Expanding the Business Case

The four experts spoke about the importance of understanding how to build a strong business case by analyzing needs – starting small or within a specialized area where demand is high, and then scaling based on demonstrated clinical and financial value.

Best practices include:

• Engage finance, radiology, and clinical leadership
• Build internal talent pipelines through shadowing and structured training
• Monitor volume around 3D imaging requests to create alignment with clinical demands and organizational objectives

Looking to the Future: A Dynamic, Evolving Strategy 

External 3D service providers often lack the agility needed to keep pace with the complex, fast-moving demands of modern care. In contrast, in-house 3D labs provide a flexible platform that adapts to clinical needs while enabling future innovation.

The panelists emphasized that the greatest value of a 3D lab lies not only in what it delivers today, but in its ability to continuously evolve with the needs of tomorrow. Success depends on a forward-thinking mindset and commitment to continuous evolution to achieve lasting clinical and financial value.

Rami Shorti urged: “Always look at the future because if you’re only serving the status quo of today, it’s basically going to be outdated very soon.” 

Access the full webinar on-demand to hear directly from the experts from Banner Health, Henry Ford Health, and EMIT3D.