Devices Radiology

 News Release - August 9, 2007

Aurora Breast MRI System Goes Mobile in Italy

Mobile Unit Allows Aurora MRI to Tour Italy for Use by Country's Leading Radiologists

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. & GENOA, Italy--(HSMN NewsFeed)--To actively promote the globalization of women's access to the most advanced breast imaging technology available, Aurora Imaging Technology, Inc. today announced the introduction of a mobile Aurora® 1.5Tesla Dedicated Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) System to physicians and patients throughout Italy. This Aurora System is offered by Paramed, and is designed to travel throughout the country for short-term use by some of Italy's leading and most progressive breast cancer specialists.

"Italian physicians are fully aware of the high clinical efficacy of breast MRI. Unfortunately, due to the limited availability of MRI systems capable of performing the more complicated and lengthy breast MRI exams, patients often have to wait as long as six months for examinations," said Roberto Dutto, president, Paramed. "By mobilizing the Aurora System, it has immediately allowed us to serve many more physicians in key regions and has helped to address the significant increase in demand for breast MRI. As a by-product, it also will allow the enhancement of valuable networking among breast cancer specialists in our country, which will be critical to the development of consensus regarding breast MRI."

To date, the Aurora System has been used by leading physicians in the Italian cities of Forli, Padova, Verona, Bari and Genoa. There is an active plan to add more units to cover wider service areas.

"Remarkably, with a mobile Aurora unit, in just three weeks we were able to perform more than 60 breast MRI scans on women who are either extremely high risk or are suspicious of having breast cancer. Having access to the Aurora System completely mitigated our previously long MRI waiting list. Furthermore, utilizing Aurora's biopsy targeting software, we have also successfully executed several MR-guided biopsies, thus providing the much needed critical information to aid in patient diagnosis," said Dr. Massimo Calabrese, M.D., Radiologist, University Hospital San Martino, Genoa. "At the end of each examination, we conducted a brief patient survey. I am very please to announce that overwhelmingly, our patients who previously had MRI scans on a different machine now clearly preferred the comfort of the Aurora System. From a patient view point, this is important."

The examination table is designed with as much attention to patient comfort as the maximum utilization of the Aurora System's advanced technology. Indeed, Aurora's examination table allows the largest access to the breasts available when compared to any other MRI system. The novel feet-first entry minimizes feelings of claustrophobia. Patients rest comfortably on a massage-type table which is contoured specifically for the breast anatomy. It should be noted that improved patient comfort also greatly minimizes the risk of patient movement, thus reducing motion artifacts on the images. With the Aurora System, patients lie prone, with arms forward and down for comfort and their breasts suspended away from their chest, which allows independent and more accurate evaluation of possible disease metastasizing to these regions.

As a screening and diagnostic imaging tool, the Aurora 1.5T Dedicated Breast MRI System is ideal for a wide range of indications in breast disease management, including, but not limited to:

• Detecting or excluding the existence of cancer in high risk women
• Characterizing indeterminate clinically or mammographically detected abnormalities
• Determining the extent of cancer for treatment planning
• Detecting occult cancer
• Evaluating patients for residual disease following surgery
• Monitoring cancer response and the extent of residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
• Evaluating implant integrity and detecting cancer in women with breast augmentation.

"Implementing this very unique mobile strategy with Paramed has allowed us to rapidly extend Aurora's access to physicians and patients throughout Italy. These are patients who otherwise may have to suffer long waiting times, or wouldn't have access to this healthcare at all," said Olivia Ho Cheng, president and chief executive officer, Aurora.

"Driven and encouraged by the evidence that much higher clinical benefits are delivered to patients in existing U.S. centers, Aurora is determined to globalize its technology and services, and having a mobile system is a manifestation of this commitment," concludes Cheng.

Aurora Imaging Technology, Inc.

Aurora Imaging Technology, Inc. is a private company based in North Andover, Massachusetts committed to expanding the fight against breast cancer. Aurora strives to manufacture the highest quality and most cost-effective breast MRI solutions, and partners with a growing number of the nation's finest breast care centers to provide the ultimate in the detection, diagnosis, biopsy and treatment of breast cancer. The Aurora System is in clinical use at a growing number of leading breast care centers in the United States, Europe and Asia. For the location nearest you, please visit www.auroramri.com.

Source: Aurora Imaging Technology

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