LINKOPING, Sweden, Nov. 5, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Swedish medical technology and IT company Sectra (Other OTC:SSBBF) (Stockholm:SECTb) has signed an agreement with the Swedish medical technology company RSA Biomedical Innovations AB. RSA Biomedical's software package UmRSA(R) for analyzing radiostereometric data is a useful software tool when monitoring knee and hip prosthesis implants. Through the agreement, UmRSA(R) is fully integrated into Sectra's system for handling digital x-ray images.
RSA Biomedical's system for radiostereometric analysis enables accurate three-dimensional measurements from x-ray images. The three-dimensional kinematics of skeletal or implant movements can be determined between repeated examinations. By inserting small tantalum markers to the skeleton and/or the implant, movements can be monitored closely. The markers will show on x-ray images and even small changes in position will be evident in the analysis conducted with RSA Biomedical's software package.
"With these kinds of cooperations we create, as the only company in the business, a large selection of high quality clinical applications on a single platform," said Torbjorn Kronander, president of Sectra Imtec. "All with the aim of maximizing the benefit that users get from our workstation in handling digital radiology images."
"By entering this agreement we will be able to concentrate on our core business, which is to develop and market software and equipment for conducting measurements in digital images," said Per Grundstrom, President and CEO of RSA Biomedical. "At the same time we will increase our exposure to mutual customer segments and will be able to offer enhanced customer value by increased software integration."
About the Clinical Solutions Network
The Clinical Solutions Network (CSN) is the unifying concept of Sectra's cooperation with third party vendors of specialized clinical applications connected to the Sectra software products. Sectra provides open software products for radiology applications with interfaces that third party actors easily can integrate to. The CSN, the user-group of Sectra's radiology software interfaces, invites both commercial and researching actors to develop new functionality connected to the Sectra software solutions.
About Sectra Imtec
Sectra is one of today's major PACS providers with more than 300 PACS installations worldwide. The Swedish based company operates through partners in most of the world, but delivers directly to end customers in Northern Europe. The core business is to deliver top-of-the-line high- availability, robust enterprise PACS for 24/7 operation. In Sweden and Norway, which are currently the countries with the largest penetration of PACS in the world, Sectra holds a dominant market leadership with more than 50% of all film free installations. The company has its largest number of installed systems in Sweden, Norway and the U.S. (through partners), but has also an installed base in Germany, Finland, U.K., Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Turkey, Portugal, Switzerland and the Far East.
About RSA Biomedical
RSA Biomedical was funded in 1994 and has since then concurred the international market for medical three-dimensional precision measurements using radiostereometric analysis (RSA). It's method and system, known as UmRSA(R), is today considered a golden standard in Europe for evaluating new orthopedic implants. More than 100 sites in Europe, North America and Australia use the system.
RSA Biomedical is a privately owned, Swedish company and has its head office in Umea.
For further information, please contact:
Sectra Imtec AB Dr. Torbjorn Kronander, President +46 705 23 52 27 to-kro@sectra.se or Sectra AB Dr. Jan-Olof Bruer, President and CEO +46 13 23 52 09 job@sectra.se Visit our website http://www.sectra.com or RSA Biomedical Innovations AB Per Grundstrom, President and CEO +46 90 15 49 43 per.grundstrom@rsabiomedical.se
Sectra's operations
Sectra has its roots in Linkoping Technical University and is one of Sweden's fastest growing high-tech companies in the IT area. Since the mid-1980s, Sectra has successfully conducted development and sales of high-technology 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 six countries with a total of 250 employees. Sales for the fiscal year May 2001-April 2002 reached SEK 426 million. Since March 1999, Sectra's shares have been quoted on the O list of the Stockholm Exchange.
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