LINKOPING, Sweden, Nov. 21, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Sectra's digital mammography system, Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM), has been used to examine more than 1,500 women in the Helsingborg Hospital mammography screening program. This was accomplished in the record time of two months in clinical operation. The system is now being used to examine more than sixty women every day.
The Helsingborg Hospital Breast Disease Center in Sweden is the first in the world to use the new and unique Sectra MicroDose Mammography system, which enables a five-fold reduction in radiation compared to traditional film-based systems.
"I would not be surprised if the Helsingborg Breast Disease Center has set a new world record in examinations using a single, digital full- field mammography system," says Dr. Torbjorn Kronander, president of Sectra Imtec AB. "I am impressed by their throughput capacity," he continues.
"The Sectra system allows us to reduce the radiation dose, which is a great benefit to both the screening population and clinical patients," says Dr. Boel Hedsson, head of the mammography department at Helsingborg Hospital. "We are able to help more patients and have also improved the working environment for the medical staff, which confirms that our investment was right."
The system in Helsingborg enables totally film free evaluation on digital display systems. The cumbersome handling of cassettes and chemicals is a thing of the past. Doctors and radiographers can perform their work more cost-effectively and safely than ever before, without compromising on image quality.
"Mammography specialists all over the world are lining up to visit us and study the successful introduction of our first low dose mammography system," Dr Hedsson concludes.
About Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM)
The Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM) system consists of a unique mammography stand and the Sectra PACS(TM) system for processing and archiving digital radiology images. The digital mammography stand is based on completely new digital detector technology. The unique technology enables radiation usage of about 95% efficiency, resulting in a significantly lower radiation dose to the patient while maintaining the same high image quality achieved with conventional film.
Stockholm-based Mamea Imaging AB, a company partially owned by Sectra, develops the digital mammography detector and stand. The detector invention was derived from particle physics research at CERN in Geneva and refined by a research team at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm lead by Associate Professor Mats Danielsson. The system is patented by Mamea Imaging AB.
After the successful introduction of the system in Helsingborg, the Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM) system was recently sold to the Klinikum Krefeld in Germany. The breast screening center in Tonsberg, Norway, has also ordered the Sectra PACS(TM) dedicated to breast imaging.
About the Breast Disease Center at Helsingborg Hospital
The Breast Disease Center at Helsingborg Hospital is the first center in Sweden to use a full-field digital solution for mammography examinations. About 14,000 women are examined at the center every year. Focusing on women's health, the center provides better service through multidisciplinary and professional care dedicated to rapid diagnosis and, when required, treatment within a couple of days of when the woman was examined.
About Sectra
Sectra is one of today's major diagnostic imaging providers with more than 420 installations worldwide. Sectra's core business is to deliver top-of-the-line, high-availability, robust enterprise diagnostic imaging for 24/7 operation. In Scandinavia Sectra is the market leader with more than 50 percent of all film-free installations. The company also has a large number of systems installed in most major countries in Europe, the Far East and North America, in co-operation with partners. For more information, visit www.sectra.com.
Visit our website http://www.sectra.com
Sectra's operations Sectra has its roots in Linkoping Institute of Technology and is one of Sweden's fastest growing high-tech companies in IT. Since the mid-1980s, Sectra has successfully conducted development and sales of advanced medical IT and telecommunications products. Today, the business includes products in medical systems, secure communication systems and wireless information systems.
Sectra's medical business is conducted in Sectra Imtec AB, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sectra AB. Internationally, Sectra PACS is marketed and sold through different partners.
Business is conducted in eight countries with a total of 280 employees. Sales for the fiscal year 2002/03 reached SEK 503 million. Since March 1999, Sectra's shares have been quoted on the O list of the Stockholm Exchange. As of July 1, 2003, the share is quoted on the Attract 40 list.
Digital mammography
As people are living longer, the incidence of age-related disease is rising. One such disease is breast cancer, the most common type of cancer in the world. Early diagnosis of breast cancer is critical to enhancing opportunities for successful treatment.
Benefits of digital mammography Digital systems make all necessary information, such as images and patient data, available on a diagnostic workstation. When doctors evaluate the images, digital image processing facilitates diagnosis. Another advantage with the digital system is that all images are stored in a digital archive, giving immediate access to both new and old images. Handling of cassettes and film is eliminated.
Digital mammography offers additional benefits, such as a reduction in the number of women required to undergo additional tests to provide physicians with supplementary images. With the digital mammography system, image quality is checked immediately after exposure, as opposed to traditional film processing, wherein most patients have left the hospital before the images are available. The new method also helps reduce unnecessary administrative procedures and inconvenience for the patients.
About mammography screening
Mammography is the second most common radiology examination in the world. Women have opportunities to participate in some type of mammography program in almost every country in the western world. There are about 30,000 conventional mammography systems installed worldwide and many countries are expanding their mammography programs.
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