What do you get when you cross a women's health company that sells screening and diagnostic imaging technologies to hospitals and radiologists, with a women's health company that sells diagnostics and therapeutic devices to Ob-Gyns? A single company capable of selling goods and services across the entire continuum of care, according to Rob Cascella, president & COO of Hologic, who thus revealed the reasoning behind the $6.5 billion proposed merger of Hologic with Cytyc.

Building a new product market is never easy, and the chances for a start-up in capital equipment are especially slim. Accuray has the scars to prove it. But after a long haul, it appears to be succeeding in building a market in radiosurgery.

Inverness Medical Innovations, a point-of-care diagnostics company, made a splash with its $1.6 billion acquisition of Biosite. But the purchase was merely the latest step in a long-time strategy of growing through acquisition.