Devices Radiology Oncology

 News Release - November 28, 2007

New Planar Stereoscopic Digital Mammography Display Demonstrated to Reduce False-Positive Breast Cancer Findings by 49 Percent

Clinical Trial Shows Significant Improvements in the Accuracy of Lesion Detection

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Planar Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLNR ), a worldwide leader in specialty display solutions, today announced that a prototype diagnostic workstation incorporating Planar’s groundbreaking StereoMirror™ technology has been shown to dramatically reduce false-positive breast cancer findings by 49 percent and false-negative results by 40 percent compared to standard digital mammography in a clinical trial conducted at Emory University’s breast imaging Center in Atlanta. Planar's innovative application for StereoMirror technology represents another example in the company's strategy to be a global leader in specialty display technology. Planar continues to advance specialty display solutions for demanding medical professionals who are looking for display technology that will improve accuracy in breast cancer screening.

Results from the study of a stereoscopic 3D digital workstation developed by Planar Systems and BBN Technologies among a population of 1,093 patients(a) was the topic of a presentation at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference in Chicago on Nov. 27.

“With stereo mammography, we are observing dramatic reductions in false positive and false negative reports,” said David J. Getty, Ph.D., division scientist at BBN Technologies. “In the current clinical trial at Emory University, the mammographers are reading the stereo mammograms on a Planar StereoMirror display, which is by far the very best high resolution stereo display system available today.”

In conventional two-dimensional mammographic imaging, subtle lesions that might be cancerous can be masked by underlying or overlying normal tissue and, thus, be missed. In addition, normal tissue scattered at different depths can align to mimic a lesion, leading to a false-positive finding. In the study, Planar’s StereoMirror display provided radiologists with a less ambiguous view of the breast's internal structure to enable diagnoses with higher confidence.

“Planar is committed to the continual advancement of medical display solutions, and we’re honored to participate in this study with Emory University’s breast imaging Center,” said Doug Barnes, vice president of the medical business unit, Planar Systems. “StereoMirror technology is an innovative 3D display solution that will have great impact on diagnostic imaging, and we are fortunate to collaborate with others in the healthcare field to bring solutions that will ultimately improve the accuracy of breast cancer screening.”

Stereo digital mammograms, viewed on a 5-megapixel workstation using Planar’s StereoMirror technology, showed dramatic improvement in the accuracy of lesion detection, potentially delivering large gains in the cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening. This technology could lead to earlier cancer detection with improved visual sensitivity, which increases the likelihood of administering a successful patient treatment. Through accurate readings, healthcare providers can both reduce the emotional trauma of unnecessary diagnostic work, as well as the associated financial impact of additional procedures.

Advanced Display Solutions for the Medical Field

In addition to the 17-inch and 20-inch versions of the StereoMirror stereoscopic/3D displays currently available, Planar is releasing the Planar SD2420W and SD2620W with larger widescreen StereoMirror formats. The SD2620W is the largest and highest resolution, commercially available LCD-stereoscopic monitor available today, and both products offer superior stereoscopic viewing to deliver high levels of comfort and accuracy for imaging.

Another advanced display solution for the digital mammography is Planar's Dome Z16 - the world’s highest-resolution digital display which was also announced this week at RSNA. This 30-inch grayscale display offers 16-megapixel resolution and side-by-side image viewing to provide radiologists with more accurate image representation, faster workflow and remarkable grayscale clarity. The first-of-its-kind, the Dome Z16's side-by-side viewing overcomes the need for dual-head monitors and extensive imagement manipulation and adjustments to compare left and right images in digital mammography, which ultimately slow viewing time.

A prototype of Planar’s StereoMirror and the new Dome Z16 are being demonstrated at RSNA in Planar’s booth 2312, South Hall. Samples of Planar’s digital mammography displays are available upon request, and all products are backed by Planar's industry-leading customer service warranty. Contact details for global channel partners may be found on at www.planar3d.com or www.planar.com or by contacting a Planar marketing representative. For more information, please visit www.planar3d.com/mammography.

About Planar

Planar Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:PLNR ) is a global leader of specialty display technology providing hardware and software solutions for the world’s most demanding environments. Hospitals, space and military programs, utility and transportation hubs, shopping centers, banks, government agencies, businesses, and home theater enthusiasts all depend on Planar to provide superior performance when image experience is of the highest importance. Founded in 1983, Planar is headquartered in Oregon, USA, with offices, manufacturing partners, and customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.planar.com.

(a) A false positive finding is a diagnostic result that is found to be incorrect in a subsequent exam while a false negative is a situation where a potentially cancerous lesion is not detected.

Source: Planar Systems

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