Better Vision with Multi-Pinholes: Siemens and Cleveland Clinic Sign Licensing Agreement; New Technology to Offer Clearer, Faster Images in Preclinical SPECT Applications.

MALVERN, Pa. & CLEVELAND -- Siemens Medical Solutions today announced a licensing agreement with Cleveland Clinic to market reconstruction and calibration software developed by Clinic researchers. Providing clearer images at a higher resolution than traditional single or multi-pinhole collimators, this advanced Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) solution could allow researchers to more quickly and accurately image new diagnostic and therapeutic compounds in preclinical studies. In addition to marketing the software, Siemens expects to release a new multi-pinhole solution based on the Clinic's technology.

"Siemens continues to set the standard in advanced molecular imaging research," said Michael Reitermann, president, Molecular Imaging Division, Siemens Medical Solutions. "Accuracy and efficiency are imperative in this arena, and with this new reconstruction and calibration technology, Siemens will deliver the highest quality multi-pinhole SPECT solution to its customers."

With multi-pinhole reconstruction and calibration software developed by Dr. Frank DiFilippo of Cleveland Clinic's Department of Molecular and Functional Imaging, researchers could produce high-resolution images with more specificity in a fraction of the time of traditional collimators, which can take up to one hour to complete. In much the same way that cameras collect rays of light to produce photographs, collimators filter streams of gamma rays to create images of radiopharmaceutical distribution. The pinhole collimators provide image magnification, making it possible to acquire data with sub-millimeter resolution. The new software permits the accurate use of multiple pinholes, increasing the sensitivity of the detector to the gamma ray stream and reducing the time needed to acquire these images.

The new software addresses an important challenge associated with multi-pinhole collimators. With each added pinhole, the complexity of the detector geometry increases, amplifying the importance of accurate calibration.

"Such accurate calibration is an enabling factor for high-resolution image reconstruction," said DiFilippo. "This development accounts for the complete scanner geometry to a high degree of precision. Researchers can select a different multi-pinhole collimator configuration for each study and calibrate the scanner with a simple automated process. This new method can increase the versatility of preclinical scanners and provide higher quality images than traditional calibration methods."

About CCF Innovations

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation's strong commitment to discovery and innovation led to the establishment of CCF Innovations (CCFI) in 2000. CCF Innovations commercializes all inventions and related technology from throughout The Cleveland Clinic. The Clinic's comprehensive commercialization approach includes prototyping, seed and technology validation funds, clinical trials, translational research cores, animal facilities, on-site accelerator, entrepreneurs-in-residence, allied venture capital fund, expert staff, venture advisors, start-up mentoring programs, selective in-licensing and ideation labs. Fifteen companies have been spun-off from the Cleveland Clinic in the last four years.

About the Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Approximately 1,500 full-time salaried physicians at Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2004, patients came for treatment from every state and 100 countries. Cleveland Clinic website address is www.clevelandclinic.org.

About Siemens Medical Solutions

Siemens Medical Solutions of Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) with headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Erlangen, Germany, is one of the largest suppliers to the healthcare industry in the world. The company is known for bringing together innovative medical technologies, healthcare information systems, management consulting, and support services, to help customers achieve tangible, sustainable, clinical and financial outcomes. Employing approximately 33,000 people worldwide and operating in more than 120 countries, Siemens Medical Solutions reported sales of 7.6 billion EUR, orders of 8.6 billion EUR and group profit of 976 million EUR for fiscal 2005. More information can be obtained by visiting www.usa.siemens.com/medical-pressroom.