Getting to the Heart of the Matter; Siemens Releases Heartview CT for Superior Cardiac Imaging.

Business Editors

ISELIN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2000

Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. announced the release of HeartView CT, a unique new technology that allows physicians a noninvasive method of cardiac imaging including visualization of soft plaque.

In conjunction with a general-purpose, multi-slice CT system, this option provides users the first opportunity to perform highly specialized cardiac imaging. Also included with the HeartView CT option, is a new and improved technique of Calcium Scoring, a proven method of early detection of cardiac artery calcification. HeartView CT works on the company's SOMATOM Volume Zoom and SOMATOM Volume Access CT Scanners. Siemens developed HeartView CT in conjunction with multiple research institutions in the United States, Europe and Japan.

HeartView CT offers the following capabilities:

- Non-calcified plaque visualization;

- Detection of significant coronary artery stenosis;

- Calcium scoring;

- Mediastinal vessel and heart morphology;

- Functional heart imaging;

HeartView CT provides a fast, non-invasive CT scan of the heart, and uses an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal to synchronize the acquisition and/or reconstruction of data to produce virtually motion free images of the heart.

With HeartView CT and an intravenous injection of contrast media, imaging of the coronary arteries to identify stenosis and/or soft plaque is now possible using a highly reproducible methodology. This technique also offers the potential for an alternative follow-up method for patients who have undergone invasive therapy such as grafts, stents, or percutaneous transcatheter angioplasty (PTCA). Existing techniques that can offer this type of information are relatively invasive, such as coronary catheterization and intravascular ultrasound.

Calcium scoring measures the amount of calcium or "hard plaque" present in the coronary arteries. This methodology, for the early detection of coronary artery calcification, can be performed with HeartView in a short, single-breathhold exam without the use of any contrast agents or dye.

Siemens Medical Systems. Inc. Iselin, NJ, provides solutions across a broad range of clinical environments including cardiology, neurology, oncology and women's health. In addition to developing and manufacturing medical device equipment, the company provides consulting services and information technology and infrastructure solutions through its Managed Healthcare Services and Shared Medical Systems divisions. Reporting annual sales of approximately $1.8 billion and employing nearly 5,500 people in the United States, it is the U.S. affiliate of the Medical Engineering Group of Siemens AG with headquarters in Erlangen, Germany. In fiscal 1999, Siemens' Medical Engineering Group reported sales of US$ 4 billion (DM8.0 billion) and employed some 19,000 worldwide.

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