Siemens Acquires Equity Stake in Advanced Nuclear Imaging Detector Producer Imarad Imaging Systems, Ltd.; Industry Leader Invests in Nuclear Medicine's Future.Business Editors, Health/Medical Writers ST. LOUIS--(BW HealthWire)--June 5, 2000 Siemens Medical Systems, Inc, Nuclear Medicine Group announced today it has acquired an equity stake in Imarad Imaging Systems, Ltd. a privately-held Israeli company leading the development of cadmium zinc telluride Cadmium zinc telluride, (CdZnTe) or CZT, is (as the name indicates) a compound of cadmium, zinc and tellurium or more strictly speaking, an alloy of cadmium telluride and zinc telluride. (CZT CZT Cadmium Zinc Telluride CZT Chirp Z-Transform CZT Community Z Tools CZT Concentric Zone Theory CZT Central Zone Time )-based gamma ray gamma ray Penetrating very short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation, similar to an X-ray but of higher energy, that is emitted spontaneously by some radioactive substances (see gamma decay; radioactivity). detector technologies and materials. The stock purchase agreement, which secures for Siemens a minority share in the company, solidifies past development collaborations and ensures greater development focus on using solid state CZT detector module technology in the nuclear medicine imaging nuclear medicine imaging, n the diagnostic imaging field that evaluates organ function by injecting isotopes into a structure and documenting the amount of radiation emanating from the tissues. area. Siemens technical leadership and commitment to the nuclear medicine community is strengthened by partnering with Imarad in this particular area, allowing the company to introduce this promising technology much more quickly than if it continued its CZT-based research on its own. "With the advent of CZT-based detectors," said Barbara Franciose, Siemens group vice president in charge of world-wide Nuclear Medicine, "nuclear medicine cameras will move past the current paradigm of crystal scintillators and photo-multiplier tubes and enter into a fully-digital arena. We are pleased to be a part of this evolution with Imarad," noted Franciose, "as we are convinced this technology will ultimately bring new levels of modularity, reliability and image quality to our customers." Imarad Imaging Systems Ltd., headquartered in Rehovot, Israel has been involved in the development of CZT technologies since the mid-'90s and is considered the world leader in crystal growth process and module development. The Nuclear Medicine Group, based in Hoffman Estates Hoffman Estates A village of northeast Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Population: 49,700. , IL, develops and markets a wide range of nuclear medicine products. The Group, currently the market share leader, provides integrated nuclear imaging technology solutions to the oncology, cardiology cardiology Medical specialty dealing with heart diseases and disorders. It began with the 1749 publication by Jean Baptiste de Sénac of contemporary knowledge of the heart. Diagnostic methods improved in the 19th century, and in 1905 the electrocardiograph was invented. and neurology markets and has produced such innovative technologies as its e.cam(R) gamma camera gamma camera Nuclear medicine A device that evaluates the distribution of a radionuclide in the body post-injection and e.soft(TM), the Group's newest image acquisition software and workstation. The web site address is www.sms.siemens.com/nmg. The company is part of Siemens Medical Engineering Group, Erlangen, Germany, one of the largest suppliers of healthcare services in the world. The Medical Engineering Group employs 19,000 people worldwide and reported fiscal year-end Fiscal Year-End The completion of a one-year, or 12-month, accounting period. Notes: The reason that a company's fiscal year often differs from the calendar year and does not close on Dec 31, is due to the nature of company's needs. sales of more than $4 billion. In the U.S., the Nuclear Medicine Group is part of Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. Iselin, NJ, which employs nearly 4,500 people in the U.S. and reported annual sales of approximately $1.8 billion. |
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