Emory Crawford Long Hospital First in the World to Examine Patients with Siemens Advanced Molecular Imaging Technology

Siemens Biograph 64 PET-CT System Enables Physicians to Provide Earlier, More Precise Diagnoses and Treatments of Heart-related Diseases

Atlanta & Malvern, Pa., May 5, 2006, Emory Crawford Long Hospital has become the first facility in the world to offer its patients the BiographTM 64, an advanced imaging system that provides physicians greater speed and precision to help them detect heart disease and other diseases in their earliest forms and provide personalized treatment to patients.

The Biograph 64, developed by Siemens Medical Solutions, incorporates leading-edge positron emission tomography (PET) technology with the fastest 64-slice computed tomography (CT) system, allowing physicians to obtain more detailed information in a single, non-invasive procedure than is possible through separate procedures. The installation was completed in April and patients will have access to the new technology this month.

The hybrid PET-CT system is enabling physicians at Emory to make diagnoses with pinpoint accuracy by providing complete information about the exact location, size, nature and extent of disease. Its advanced PET technology enables physicians to detect the metabolic changes in patients’ organs and tissues that precede physiologic changes, while the integration of 64-slice CT technology places this information in precise anatomical context not previously obtainable without invasive procedures.

"With the Biograph 64 we are able to see disease at the molecular level within patients, while providing the rich anatomical detail that allows us to contextualize that information to detect, treat and monitor disease with greater precision" said Patricia Morrison, manager, non-invasive cardiology, nuclear cardiology department, Emory Crawford Long. "It’s that detailed information that enables us to make earlier, more authoritative diagnoses, make treatment decisions that are individualized for patients and ultimately achieve better outcomes for patients"

"Coupled with the clinical expertise of the world-renowned physicians at Emory, the Biograph 64 demonstrates how innovations in molecular imaging are changing the way physicians detect and manage disease, especially in the areas of cancer and cardiology" said Michael Reitermann, president, Molecular Imaging Division, Siemens Medical Solutions. "This system offers physicians a whole new level of detail that enables them to treat the patient, not just the disease"

Emory physicians expect the Biograph 64 to provide significant benefits to cardiac patient care, allowing them to obtain anatomical details of the beating heart in exceptionally high resolution, while simultaneously assessing its metabolic activity. Physicians can visualize the coronary artery down to the smallest blood vessels and measure perfusion (blood flow) non-invasively. The speed of the system enables CT angiography (CTA) to be completed with only an eight-second breath-hold for patients.

"The capability of performing CT Coronary Angiography and PET in one setting will enable our physicians to provide a complete cardiac assessment, giving them the information they need to help diagnose and treat patients with coronary artery disease earlier and more efficiently" said Albert Blackwelder, chief operating officer, Emory Crawford. "Bringing this state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to Crawford Long demonstrates our commitment to equipping our care providers with the very best tools in order to provide unrivaled care for our patients"

A 511-bed community-based, tertiary care center in Atlanta’s midtown, Emory Crawford Long Hospital is staffed by 800 Emory University School of Medicine faculty and 600 community physicians. Medical services include 56 intensive care beds, a level III neonatal intensive care unit, and four hyperbaric oxygen units. Emory Crawford Long Hospital is one of the nation’s leading community-based, acute care teaching facilities. The hospital is recognized nationally for its work in cardiology and heart-related diseases. It also has an outstanding reputation in the fields of reconstructive surgery, maternal and infant care, orthopaedics and gastrointestinal diseases.

About Siemens Medical Solutions

Siemens Medical Solutions of Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) with headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Erlangen, Germany, is one of the largest suppliers to the healthcare industry in the world. The company is known for bringing together innovative medical technologies, healthcare information systems, management consulting, and support services, to help customers achieve tangible, sustainable, clinical and financial outcomes. Employing approximately 31,000 people worldwide and operating in more than 120 countries, Siemens Medical Solutions reported sales of 7.6 billion EUR, orders of 8.6 billion EUR and group profit of 976 million EUR for fiscal 2005. More information can be obtained by visiting www.usa.siemens.com/medical-pressroom.

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