LINKOPING, Sweden, Nov. 07, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Sectra, the Swedish IT and medical technology company, has received an order from Klinikum Krefeld in Germany for it's new digital mammography system, Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM). The system enables a five-fold reduction in radiation compared to traditional film-based examinations.
"This is Sectra's first order in Germany for our new digital mammography system and it gives women in the region of Krefeld the possibility to benefit from the lowest radiation dose in the world. Together with the Swedish municipal hospital in Helsingborg, Klinikum Krefeld will be the first hospital to use this revolutionary mammography system," says Dr. Torbjorn Kronander, President of Sectra Imtec AB.
"With Sectra's system, we aim to avoid exposing women to higher radiation levels than necessary, while at the same time maintaining, or in some cases, increasing the very high image quality required for mammography examinations," says Prof. Fiedler, MD, head of the radiology department at Klinikum Krefeld.
With Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM) the images are available on a diagnostic workstation in a matter of seconds, which makes it possible for the patient to receive the result directly after the examination. The doctor can evaluate the images and be further aided in his diagnosis by digital image processing. A further advantage with the digital system is that all images are stored in a digital archive, which means that access to old and new images is immediate.
"I expect that this mammography system will reduce the radiation dose as well as the examination time, which is a great benefit to our patients. Our medical staff is also getting a better working environment while at the same time being able to help more patients," Prof. Fiedler continues.
"Klinikum Krefeld is recognized as a pioneer in advancing technology and a very competent hospital. We believe that they will pave the way for future mammography by relieving their patients from radiation, and that this will be a hospital that others will look at as a reference for modern mammography," says Dr Andreas Keizers, President of Sectra GmbH.
The unique digital mammography system Sectra MicroDose Mammography(TM), is based on a completely new detection technology, counting every individual X-ray photon. Close to 95% of X-ray photons that pass through the breast are detected and used for diagnosis, resulting in significantly lower doses of radiation without compromising image quality.
The mammography unit is invented and developed by the co-owned development company Mamea Imaging AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
About Klinikum Krefeld
Klinikum Krefeld is the municipal hospital of Krefeld and academic teaching hospital to the University of Dusseldorf. With 19 clinics, a total of 29 departments and more than 1100 beds, Klinikum Krefeld provides the ability for maximum medical care and offers all medical specialties to about 500.000 inhabitants in the area of Linker Niederrhein. For this area Klinikum Krefeld also has the mission to provide the disease management program against breast cancer. See also www.klinikum-krefeld.de.
The project engineering and the acquisition was conducted by the Krefeld based consulting firm B&B MEDCONSULT GmbH. B&B MEDCONSULT is an independent German consulting firm focused on project engineering, operations and business development in healthcare. For more information visit www.medconsult.de. The digital mammography project is financed and carried on by a private company founded by B&B together with physicians from Krefeld.
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.
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.
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