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Redefining medical imaging using AI from Scotland

Last updated: November 2025

Canon Medical Edinburgh is helping to position Scotland as a leader in life sciences, human health and med tech. Its AI powered solutions make medical imaging faster and more accurate, bringing huge benefits to clinicians and patients globally.   

Finding the best in the world 

“Our parent company looks for the best in the world. It believes they have found that in Scotland. We have exceptionally capable and innovative people here.” 

These are the words of Dr Ken Sutherland, President of Canon Medical Edinburgh, a European subsidiary of Canon Medical Systems Corporation (CMSC). The European subsidiary has expanded here since 2008 to become a pioneering research and development (R&D) centre that develops AI-enhanced medical imaging software solutions.  

Today, Canon Medical Edinburgh employs 126 people, 105 of them in high-value R&D roles. It serves as Canon Medical Systems Corporation’s global software and AI research hub. Over the past three financial years, the hub has consistently increased its income, contributing to an average annual revenue of £16 million. The company plans to reach revenues of £22 million by 2035 by contributing valuable healthcare innovation to the wider Canon group.

Canon Medical Edinburgh backs Scotland as a leader in life sciences, human health and med tech. 

 

  • 126 people employed in Edinburgh

    This facility is Canon Medical Systems Corporation’s global software and AI research hub.

  • £22 million revenues targeted by 2035

    Canon Medical Edinburgh contributes valuable healthcare innovation to the wider Canon group. 

     

  • AI transforms medical imaging from Scotland

    Solutions make medical imaging faster and more accurate, benefitting clinicians and patients globally.

£14 million AI project for faster data analysis 

Canon Medical Edinburgh traces its roots back to Voxar Limited, established in 1994 as a spinout from the University of Edinburgh. In June 2025, Canon Medical Edinburgh was awarded a £3.6million grant by Scottish Enterprise towards a £14 million project that uses AI for faster data analysis to improve medical scans for both patients and health services. 

Dr Ken Sutherland explains: “Most of our customers are radiologists who are busy people. Many of us are living longer, but not all are in good health. Regular follow up scans are used to monitor interventions and treatments. Radiologists workloads are increasing daily as more patients need more scans. We are automating the scanning process to make diagnosis and treatment more efficient.” 

New technologies globally from Edinburgh

Key to scaling innovation is the company’s Smart Modality Programme. This simplifies scanner imaging workflows using machine learning, image analysis, computer vision, and system integration. The result? Better scanning accuracy and throughput, and less burden on clinical personnel and care system waiting lists.

From Edinburgh and across the world, the firm’s Smart Modality team researches and develops new technologies and new generations of imaging systems. The company works closely with other Canon international research sites. 

Dr Ken Sutherland adds: “We have to innovate in healthcare. Clinical professionals just don’t have enough bandwidth to perform their roles as efficiently as they’d like to. This is not just a UK problem – but around the world. Smart Modality enables us to get the patient scanned as soon and as efficiently as possible.”

Dr Ken Sutherland, President of Canon Medical Edinburgh

Canon discovered world-class technology in Scotland

Smart Modality focuses on automating patient preparation, image acquisition, and streamlining the analysis of images to speed diagnosis and treatment. Above all, the technology is designed to be easy to use, and integrate with existing healthcare systems. 

Canon Medical Edinburgh demonstrates Scotland’s R&D credentials in life sciences, human health and med tech for overseas companies to both trade and invest here. 

Dr Ken Sutherland says: “Canon discovered world-class technology and innovation in Scotland. And because Japanese and Scotland’s cultures and capabilities are so complementary, Canon’s decision to invest here made perfect sense.”

This decision was influenced from a genesis of talent. The company’s original founders graduated from computer science from the University of Edinburgh, paving the way for the company to eventually develop medical imaging solutions.

Again, the best in the world was found in Scotland, and the other partner universities, including Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrews and Stirling. The company also has longstanding partnerships with innovation centres and NHS-supported initiatives such as iCAIRD and the Glasgow Living Laboratory. These provide both technical expertise and real-world healthcare testing environments. 

So how have we supported Canon Medical Edinburgh?

Scottish Enterprise has supported the company since 2011. The £3.6 million funding was announced in June 2025 at a meeting with Dr Sutherland, Scottish Government Health Secretary, Neil Gray, and Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, Adrian Gillespie. This was ahead of a health event Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Canon Medical Edinburgh was part of a trade delegation of Scottish companies heading to the Expo, organised by Scottish Enterprise. The firm also invited the Health Secretary to visit its headquarters in Japan and meet with the company’s Global Head of Canon Medical Systems.

One of Europe's largest life sciences cluster: Europe

Scotland’s life sciences cluster is one of the largest in Europe, with particular strengths in imaging-based diagnostics, precision medicine and digital health. This ecosystem provides specialist expertise and a collaborative network of universities and NHS innovation programmes, making it an ideal environment to develop and validate new healthcare solutions. 

Scotland, as Canon’s key centre for modality innovation, will help secure a sustainable project pipeline for the next decade, and enhance Canon’s global product portfolio with AI medical imaging systems.

For Canon Medical Edinburgh, this is a giant leap in medical imaging; for Scotland, it reaffirms its position as a leader in medical technology innovation. It also demonstrates long-term value, combining talent, infrastructure and public–private partnership to attract world-class R&D investment.

Neil Gray, Scottish Health Secretary, sums up: “Scotland has a long-standing reputation for innovation in health and life sciences, and Canon Medical Edinburgh exemplifies that strength. This investment in AI technology has the potential to transform the way we deliver healthcare by speeding up diagnosis, supporting our clinicians, and ultimately improving outcomes for patients.”

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