Aiding Physicians in Viewing, Diagnosing and Staging Prostate Cancer; Siemens Medical Plays Role in Prestigious `Image of the Year'.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 27, 2000

A fused, CT/SPECT image showing the exact location of cancer of the prostate has been named "Image of the Year" by the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM).

The unique image was made possible by new three-dimensional visualization software developed and owned by the University Hospitals of Cleveland (UHC)/Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and used in conjunction with a Siemens Medical Systems Inc., Nuclear Medicine Group e.cam(R) gamma camera and ICON(tm) Workstation,

The image, which combines CT, MRI and SPECT data to produce a rotating, virtual 3-D scan of the prostate, can be viewed from all angles.

The software was developed by Dr. Zhenghong Lee, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer in nuclear medicine at UHC and assistant professor of Radiology at CWRU, and was clinically utilized by Dr. D. Bruce Sodee, M.D., a specialist in nuclear medicine radiology at UHC and associate professor of Radiology at CWRU. The patient was referred by Dr. Rodney J. Ellis, also of UHC/CWRU, who uses co-registered CT/ProstaScint imaging in planning brachytherapy for prostate cancer patients.

To create the image, initial SPECT data were collected on a Siemens e.cam gamma camera. A Siemens Somaton 4+B spiral CT was used for the bony structure and a Siemens Magnetom Vision MR scanner was used to image the surface of the prostate. Following utilization of UHC/CWRU's iterative reconstruction technology (IRT) application, the research team viewed the image by Interactive Data Language(R) (IDL) on a Siemens ICON(tm) Workstation to improve the quality of the final image.

This is the third year in a row that Siemens technology has played a key role in the prestigious "Image of the Year." In 1999, recognition was given to an integrated PET/CT fusion image produced at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and in 1998, for an image produced from the LSO/NaI hybrid research system.

The recognition is made each year at SNM's Annual Meeting by Dr. Henry N. Wagner Jr., who is considered one of the founders of the field of nuclear medicine as a scientific and medical specialty.

Future of Nuclear Medicine

Dr. Wagner, a professor of environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University, told attendees at SNM's meeting that fusion imaging represents the future of nuclear medicine.

"By combining our findings with CT and MRI," he said, "anatomic structures and the metabolic patterns of disease can be displayed easily."

The Society of Nuclear Medicine, with over 10,000 members, is an international scientific and professional organization dedicated to promoting the science, technology and practical application of nuclear medicine.

Diagnosing prostate cancer has long been a challenge to the medical profession. CT and MRI are only marginally successful in identifying the presence and spread of prostate cancer. SPECT can help identify cancerous tissue, but still be unable to pinpoint its location in the prostate.

The UHC/CWRU research team found that superimposing a SPECT scan showing binding of a prostate-specific membrane antigen to cancer cells onto a CT or MRI image of the prostate, provides more information than any of the other technologies alone.

"Fusing" the two images results in a significantly clearer determination of the tumor's size and exact location, which is extremely important to the referring physician, attending physician, surgeon and oncologist.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among American men other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2000, and nearly 32,000 men will die of the disease this year.

Prostate cancer treatment, which varies according to the tumor's size and location, as well as other factors, can involve chemotherapy, radiation, hormone replacement and surgery.

Potential Impact on Patient Management

In presenting his team's research at the SNM annual meeting, Dr. Sodee said that being able to accurately diagnose and stage prostate cancers has the potential to change the management of this disease for millions of men. And, he said, this could include saving many of them from surgery and providing others with the most effective treatment needed to save or prolong their lives.

Dr. Sodee also said that fusion imaging may play a role in monitoring men who are genetically at risk of developing prostate cancer.

"Playing a part in this exciting new development in nuclear imaging is an extreme honor for our company," says Barbara Franciose, president, Siemens Nuclear Medicine Group. "The advances made by the University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University research team reinforce Siemens commitment to innovation and our company's dedication to the improvement of oncology disease management."

UHC, a recognized leader in medical care, research and education for 130 years, provides an array of comprehensive services, advanced technologies, and exceptional hospitals and outpatient facilities. UHC and its academic counterpart, CWRU, form the largest biomedical research center in the state of Ohio.

Siemens Nuclear Medicine Group, based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., develops and markets a wide range of nuclear medicine products. The Group, currently the market share leader, provides integrated nuclear imaging technology solutions to the oncology, cardiology, and neurology markets and has produced such innovative technologies as its e.cam(R) gamma camera and e.soft(tm), the Group's newest image acquisition software and workstation. Additional information can be obtained through the company's Web site: www.sms.siemens.com/nmg.

The company is part of Siemens Medical Engineering Group, Erlangen, Germany, one of the largest suppliers of healthcare services in the world offering a broad range of medical device equipment including imaging systems for diagnostics, radiation oncology therapy equipment, electromedicine equipment, audiological products and information technology systems. In the United States, the Nuclear Medicine Group is part of Siemens Medical Systems Inc., Iselin, N.J.

Press releases issued are available on our Web site at: http://www.usa.siemens.com/News_and_Press/RecentPressReleases.htm

Photography available upon request.