Latest IMV Market Report Shows Continued Investment in Cath Lab Technology.

DES PLAINES, Ill. -- According to IMV's recent census of cath labs in the U.S., an estimated 4.21 million patient cases were performed at 1,970 cardiac cath lab sites in 2006. This represents a 9% increase from 3.85 million in 2002, for an average annualized rate of 2% per year. Of these cath lab cases, 89% (3.74 million) are cardiac-related and 11% are non-cardiac applications (including carotid, iliac, femoral, run-off, renal and extremity studies).

"While the number of cases has slowed to a 2% annual rate, budgets for capital equipment and catheter devices have increased at a faster pace, with new technology advancing cath lab capabilities," observed Lorna Young, Senior Director, Market Research. "For instance, from 2003 to 2006, the average device budget per cath lab increased 18% per year to $1.8 million, as more sophisticated devices such as drug eluting stents are adopted. Also, the proportion of sites with capital budgets of over $1.5 million has increased from 14% in 2000 to 30% in 2006, as hospitals invest in new technology such as flat panel digital detectors."

IMV's 2006 Cardiac Cath Lab Market Summary Report describes trends in patient cases, cath lab imaging systems, diagnostic review stations, electrophysiology, intravascular ultrasound, hemodynamic systems, device utilization, contrast media utilization, power injectors for cath contrast, and site operations characteristics. Highlights include:

* 42% of the cath lab sites had one room, 27% had two rooms, and 31% had three or more rooms.

* 97% of the cath labs have and use electronic archiving only, while 1% use cine film only, with the remaining 2% using both.

* 88% of the cath lab sites have diagnostic quality digital review stations located outside of their rooms.

* The typical cath lab is utilized by an average of 10.8 cardiologists and 3.6 cardiology groups.

The data source for this report is interviews conducted in 2006 for IMV's 2006/07 Cardiac Catheterization Lab Census Database, which provides comprehensive profiles of cath labs in the United States. The database can be licensed by qualified subscribers and includes contact and site-specific information. Applications of the database include market analysis, market development, target marketing, lead generation, installed base marketing programs, sales territory deployment and competitive analysis. IMV also performs customized analysis of the statistics to address client-specific analytical requirements.

For more information about IMV's Cath Lab Census Database and Market Summary Report, visit the corporate website at www.imvinfo.com or call 847-297-1404 to speak with a representative.

IMV is a market research consulting firm founded in 1977 specializing in medical imaging and other advanced healthcare technology markets. IMV's marketing consulting services, in combination with our census databases of U.S. imaging sites with selected modalities, provide clients valuable assistance in strategic planning, customer satisfaction, product development and sales initiatives.