MeVis BreastCare (MBC) and R2 Technology Announce License Agreement to
Integrate Soft-Copy Review Software in an R2 Investigational Workstation
CHICAGO, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- R2 Technology, Inc., the leader in
computer-aided detection (CAD), and MeVis BreastCare (MBC) GmbH Co. KG, of
Bremen, Germany, a leading developer of softcopy reading software for breast
cancer diagnosis, today announced a license agreement whereby the MBC
soft-copy reading (SCR) software will be incorporated into a R2 breast imaging
workstation, currently under development. This agreement supports R2's efforts
to develop a universal CAD workstation.
R2 also announced that its Universal Breast Imaging Workstation with
advanced CAD applications will be shown here at the 89th Scientific Assembly
and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA),
November 30-December 4.
"Soft-copy reading and CAD technology have proven to have a significant
impact on the efficacy and quality of patient care due to the improved
accuracy of mammography reading," says Carl Evertsz, Ph.D., CEO of MeVis
BreastCare, and coordinator of the European Commission sponsored SCREEN-Trial
(Soft-Copy REading ENvironment). "This agreement provides R2 Technology the
means to implement a state-of-the-art multimodality universal CAD workstation
powered by MeVis BreastCare SCR software, which is currently being used with
Siemens and Hologic LORAD digital mammography systems."
"By integrating CAD marked images and patient information into an
optimized workflow, this new system will provide radiologists the best of CAD
and soft-copy reading technology available for early breast cancer detection
worldwide," continued Dr. Evertsz.
The SCREEN Trial, which was first announced late last year, was designed
to develop a soft-copy reading environment that can replace film-based reading
in screening mammography programs. There are currently seven University
Hospitals throughout Europe actively assisting in the transition from
film-based to digital mammography screening programs by integrating digital
mammography and soft-copy reading using CAD technology from R2. The company
was selected as the exclusive CAD provider for the European Commission
sponsored breast cancer SCREEN Trial.
The R2 Universal Breast Imaging Workstation, which will be market-ready in
early 2004, will provide radiologists a medical imaging review workstation
that is free from vendor-controlled modality-workstation constraints such as
propriety image processing and enhancements. The workstation will also provide
the added value of choosing advanced image analysis and visualization support
tools from R2 Technology's portfolio of enhanced CAD applications.
CAD is used by increasing numbers of radiologists as "a second pair of
eyes" when reading a mammogram. Analogous to a spellchecker system on a
personal computer, this technology uses computer algorithms to identify areas
on the mammogram containing characteristics that may warrant a second review
by the radiologist. Clinical trials have demonstrated that use of the
ImageChecker(R) system as an adjunct to review by the radiologist could result
in early detection of up to 23.4% of the cancers currently detected with
screening mammography in those women who had a prior screening mammogram
9-24 months earlier.
"We are very pleased to have this agreement with MeVis BreastCare and the
license to include the MBC soft-copy reading software into our new breast
imaging workstation," says Mike Klein, president and CEO of R2. "Our latest in
a long stream of new products based on the OmniCAD platform vision, this
universal workstation will deliver a clinically relevant solution to the
radiology community."
First to commercialize CAD for both film-based and digital mammography, R2
has shipped more than 1,200 ImageChecker(R) CAD systems worldwide, including
more than 230 for use with Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) systems. In
2003, some eight million women will have their mammograms interpreted with the
aid of this leading CAD technology for the early detection of breast cancer.
The universal breast imaging workstation will serve as a foundation for
R2's growing suite of CAD products for digital mammography based on the
company's proprietary OmniCAD(TM) technology. This includes the new
ImageChecker DM CAD system, recently approved by the FDA, which supports the
mixed film and digital mammography environment by offering an integrated
solution with an open architecture and a vendor neutral platform to support
CAD processing for analog and digital mammography. The ImageChecker DM CAD
system will initially support digital images acquired on the GE Senographe
2000D; however, future releases will support FFDM systems from other R2
partners, including Fischer, Hologic/Lorad and Siemens.
About R2 Technology, Inc.
R2 Technology, Inc., headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., is a recognized
leader in the development and commercialization of computer-aided detection
(CAD), an innovative technology that assists radiologists in the early
detection of breast cancer and other abnormalities. As a medical software
company, R2 is developing CAD systems for a variety of imaging modalities and
disease states. R2 recently received an "A" rating from MD Buyline and was
given the 2003 Frost and Sullivan Product Leadership Award. For information,
visit http://www.r2tech.com.
NOTE: ImageChecker is a registered trademark and OmniCAD is a trademark
of R2 Technology, Inc.
SOURCE R2 Technology, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.r2tech.com
CONTACT:
Laurie Hallwyler, +1-408-481-5654, or
lhallwyler@r2tech.com, or Chris K. Joseph, +1-408-481-5668, or
cjoseph@r2tech.com, both of R2 Technology, Inc.
|
