Hologic Inc. said Tuesday it signed an exclusive partnership agreement with French company SuperSonic Imagine to sell, install and service its Aixplorer ultrasound platform in the United States. Terms of the deal were not announced.

Bedford, Mass.-based Hologic manufactures X-ray equipment with a focus on women's health. Five-year-old SuperSonic, closely held and based in Aix-en-Provence, makes an ultrasound unit featuring a type of elastography, a technique that uses ultrasound to measure the elasticity of tissue.

Peter Soltani, Hologic's senior vice president and general manager of breast health, said the ultrasounds were "a natural extension of our portfolio."

"With the addition of the Aixplorer system, we can provide clinicians another leading edge technology to help detect breast cancer in its early stages," he said in prepared remarks.

On Tuesday, Hologic also announced it received an approvable letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its 3D digital mammography system.

Hologic's stock rose 2 percent to reach $16.77 during morning trading.

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