GE Medical Systems Unveils Most Significant MRI Advancement in More Than 10 Years; Technology Allows Doctors to See Anatomy at Unprecedented Speed.

Business Editors

HONOLULU and WAUKESHA, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2002

GE Medical Systems, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), today unveiled a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner capable of operating up to four times faster than any other commercially available system. The breakthrough is being described as the most significant MRI advancement in more than 10 years and is expected to dramatically expand the capabilities and increase the use of MRI as a diagnostic tool.

The breakthrough technology, called GE EXCITE(TM), allows doctors to improve their diagnosis of conditions in the heart, as well as vascular disease, stroke, abdominal and brain disorders, and common problems in the knee and shoulder. The technology is being showcased in Hawaii this week at the 10th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM).

"Physicians have told us that MRI, while a vital tool for patient care, needs to quickly capture high resolution images of moving anatomy like the heart and vascular systems," said Joseph M. Hogan, President and CEO of GE Medical Systems. "GE EXCITE is the next frontier in imaging because it reduces the time of MRI exams, and at the same time improves image quality and opens a whole new suite of applications."

It is estimated that more than 20 million MR exams are performed each year in the United States. Industry experts expect the number of MR exams to grow by at least 15 percent annually.

According to Robert R. Edelman, M.D., Professor of Radiology at Northwestern University Medical School and Chairman, Department of Radiology, at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, "EXCITE technology has the potential to open the door to new imaging techniques and clinical applications, leaping beyond conventional two and three-dimensional MRI to true 4D imaging that will improve the diagnosis of disease throughout the human body from head to foot."

Today, GE EXCITE technology is installed in three locations: Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois; as well as Edison Imaging and South Jersey Radiological Associates in New Jersey. GE expects to install an additional 250 units by the end of the year and a total of 1,000 systems worldwide within two years.

As part of GE's Continuum upgrade program, EXCITE technology will be available on new and previously installed GE Signa(R) Infinity(TM) 1.5T MR scanners. With nearly 3,600 units installed worldwide, GE Signa MR systems are the most widely used scanners available today and are found in a broad range of medical institutions, from teaching hospitals to local imaging centers.

"For the first time we have the opportunity to capture images at the speed of life," said Lawrence N. Tanenbaum, MD, Section Chief MRI, CT and Neuroradiology, New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, Edison Imaging - JFK Medical Center. "GE EXCITE means MR studies are more comfortable for patients, especially those who have difficulty holding their breath in certain abdominal procedures."

"The development of GE EXCITE technology is as significant as the first time a photographer was able to freeze fast motion, like a drop of rain captured as it strikes a puddle," said Dennis Cooke, General Manager of GE Medical Systems' Global MR business. "Because of its high-speed capability, EXCITE will help patients by making MR scans more comfortable. A Signa Infinity scanner with EXCITE technology is capable of scanning more patients per day because of reduced individual scan times."

GE EXCITE Technology took more than three years and more than $31 million to develop. The advancement incorporates input from hundreds of physicians worldwide and was designed using GE's Six Sigma methodology.

About GE Medical Systems

GE Medical Systems is an $8 billion global leader in medical imaging, interventional procedures, healthcare services, and information technology. Its offerings include networking and productivity tools, clinical information systems, patient monitoring systems, surgery and vascular imaging, conventional and digital X-ray, computed tomography, electron beam tomography, magnetic resonance, ultrasound and bone mineral densitometry, positron emission tomography, nuclear medicine, and a comprehensive portfolio of clinical and business services. For more than 100 years, health care providers worldwide have relied on GE Medical Systems for high quality medical technology and productivity solutions. For more information about GE Medical Systems, visit our Web site at www.gemedical.com.