Philips and University of Chicago Hospitals Ally to Improve Medical Imaging; Research Could Improve Patient Care Through Enhanced Diagnosis and Treatment Planning.Business Editors ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2004 Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : PHG; AEX AEX See: Amsterdam Exchange : PHI) announced today that its medical systems division has entered into a long-term research agreement with the University of Chicago Hospitals The University of Chicago Hospitals form a major center for medical care and research in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. They are affiliated with and run by the University of Chicago, and serve as teaching hospitals for students of the institution's Pritzker . The agreement brings an array of state-of-the-art imaging equipment--including six CT scanners, several magnetic resonance magnetic resonance, in physics and chemistry, phenomenon produced by simultaneously applying a steady magnetic field and electromagnetic radiation (usually radio waves) to a sample of atoms and then adjusting the frequency of the radiation and the strength of the scanners, diagnostic X-ray systems, nuclear medicine equipment and patient monitoring systems, as well as medical information and image processing image processing Set of computational techniques for analyzing, enhancing, compressing, and reconstructing images. Its main components are importing, in which an image is captured through scanning or digital photography; analysis and manipulation of the image, accomplished technology--to the Hospitals. In exchange, Philips gains access to the Hospitals world-renowned experience in computer-assisted detection and diagnosis and in addition the Hospitals will serve as a national Philips reference site. Installation of the new equipment has already begun and will continue through 2005. "We both expect to benefit from this alliance," said Richard Baron, M.D., professor and chairman of radiology at the University of Chicago. "This brings some exciting new technology to Chicago. It gives our radiologists and medical physics experts a chance to work directly with those who can take their ideas into the marketplace. It provides a recognized and respected center for clinical testing of new medical imaging products. And it brings added support for some of our efforts to develop computerized systems that can help doctors understand what this remarkable technology is trying to tell us." The package includes a CT scanner that can collect up to 40 CT "slices" at once--one of the first such devices in the world. The ability to gain so much information so quickly makes this system fast enough to take clear pictures of a beating heart with high resolution. Additionally, using the new 40-slice system, a whole body scan that used to take minutes, can now be done in a mere 35 seconds. This technology requires shorter patient breath holds, resulting in increased patient comfort and the possible elimination of the need for re-scanning, which is caused by motion interfering with image quality. "The strength of this scanner is its ability to assist with comprehensive organ assessment literally within seconds and with a high degree of fidelity," said Jim Beckett, vice president, strategic marketing, for Philips Medical Systems. "The additional detail the 40-slice configuration provides improves the accuracy of diagnosis, and the speed of data acquisition allows facilities to extend care to a greater number of patients." Philips will support research efforts at the University of Chicago Hospitals on computer-assisted diagnosis computer-assisted diagnosis Any use of computer algorithms to arrive at a clinical diagnosis. See Algorithm, Artificial intelligence, Cyberdoc, Expert system. Cf Computer-assisted therapeutics management. (CAD) for CT, especially for projects involving lung cancer lung cancer, cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States in both men and women. Like other cancers, lung cancer occurs after repeated insults to the genetic material of the cell. , CAD for breast cancer using mammography mammography, diagnostic procedure that uses low-dose X rays to detect abnormalities in the breasts. The early diagnosis of breast cancer made possible by the routine use of mammography for screening women increases a woman's treatment alternatives and improves her , MRI 1. (application) MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2. MRI - Measurement Requirements and Interface. and ultrasound, and development and testing of many other applications. "The University of Chicago Hospitals and Health Centers have a long history of innovation, and significant resources within the University system enable a rich program of fundamental and clinical imaging research," added Phil Caraccio, vice president of sales, central zone, for Philips Medical Systems. The research collaboration with Philips is expected to begin later this year and span a wide range of topics from pre-clinical development Pre-clinical development is a stage in the development of a new drug that begins before clinical trials (testing in humans) can begin, and during which important safety and pharmacology data is collected. to improved clinical diagnosis and oncology applications. Additional areas of focus may develop over the course of the collaboration. The research collaboration is designed to expand and hasten product development and to improve diagnosis and treatment of disease. The University of Chicago Hospitals is an academic medical center based on the campus of the University of Chicago, a private institution that has had significant influence on higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. in America. Eleven of the 75 Nobel Prizes awarded to University of Chicago faculty have been for physiology or medicine. The Hospitals, which are ranked each year on the Honor Roll of the best Hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report Weekly newsmagazine published in Washington, D.C. U.S. News was founded in 1933 by David Lawrence (1888–1973) to cover important domestic events; he founded World Report in 1945 to treat world news. The two magazines were merged in 1948. , include the Bernard Mitchell Hospital, the University of Chicago Children's Hospital (soon to be replaced by the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, opening later in 2004), the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, and Chicago Lying-in Hospital. "The University of Chicago has always been known for innovation and this agreement only furthers that tremendous reputation," said Caraccio. "We're proud to partner with the University of Chicago and its world-renowned specialists in facilitating research to help advance patient care." About Royal Philips Electronics Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of $32.8 billion (EUR EUR In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Euro. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. 29 billion) in 2003. It is a global leader in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, as well as in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers and one-chip TV products. Its 165,300 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, semiconductors, and medical systems. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter. |
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