Healthcare Industry News: Medrad
News Release - August 27, 2008
Confirma and MEDRAD Partner to Advance Patient Care in the European Union
BELLEVUE, Wash.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Confirma, pioneer of CADstream®, a dedicated CAD operating system for MRI, and Medrad, a worldwide leading provider of medical devices and services for diagnostic imaging, today announced that the companies have partnered to advance patient care in the European Union. The companies have signed an agreement that enables Medrad to sell CADstream in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. Under the agreement, Confirma will install, train and support all CADstream customers.“Our partnership with Medrad will make CADstream available to more physicians and patients, ultimately helping improve patient care in the EU,” said Wayne Wager, president and CEO, Confirma. “With their customer relationships, dedication to the radiology market and reputation as a leader in medical imaging devices, Medrad will be a strong partner.”
“We are delighted to be able to offer CADstream to our customers who are starting or growing their breast or prostate MRI programs. CADstream is an excellent complement to our MRI products and will allow us to offer application-based breast and prostate MRI solutions,” said Joe Havrilla, senior vice president, Medrad MR Business Unit.
About CADstream
CADstream is a dedicated CAD operating system designed specifically for radiology networks and workflow-specific MRI applications. The system automates the analysis, reporting, and interventional planning of studies and promotes standardization of MRI studies with the incorporation of recognized standards. Workflow-specific applications include breast and prostate. CADstream scales to meet customer workflow needs, whether just beginning or managing an existing moderate- to high-volume breast MRI program.
Under this agreement, Medrad will be selling Confirma’s next-generation CADstream, version 5.0, for breast and prostate in the European Union. This version of CADstream is currently under clinical investigation in the United States.
CADstream for Breast MRI
CADstream for breast was designed specifically for breast MRI analysis and workflow, and includes automated image registration, multiplanar reformatting, subtractions, Angiogenesis Maps, curves, maximum intensity projections (MIPs), volume summaries, Portfolio for reporting and SureLoc® for interventional guidance. The system includes a customizable BI-RADS-centric (American College of Radiology’s Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System®) user interface that accommodates a variety of user experience levels and promotes reading and reporting standardization.
In the July 2007 issue of Radiology, researchers at the University of Washington and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance reported that CAD for breast MRI may improve standardization, and assist in the analysis of benign and malignant lesions. CADstream was the system used in this study.
CADstream for Prostate MRI
Like CADstream for breast, CADstream for prostate was designed to provide specific workflow-enhancing tools for prostate MRI analysis and reporting. The system includes automated image registration, alignment between contrast series and T2 images and uptake and washout maps, and prostate-specific reporting. The application also automatically creates multiplanar reformats, subtractions, and MIPs.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. The need for prostate health management is growing rapidly due to the increasing awareness that early detection will lead to long-term survival rates. MR imaging is emerging as an important tool for the noninvasive evaluation of prostate cancer, showing proven sensitivity for staging and determining extent of disease. Prostate MRI is a less invasive procedure using imaging, rather than biopsy first, and enables the physician to target areas of the body more precisely for biopsy planning.
About Medrad
Medrad, INC., is a worldwide leading provider of medical devices and services that enable and enhance imaging procedures of the human body. Used in diagnostic imaging, Medrad’s product offerings include a comprehensive line of vascular injection systems, magnetic resonance (MR) surface coils and patient care products, and equipment services. Total 2007 revenues were $525 million. Medrad is a 2003 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the top honor a U.S. company can receive for quality and business excellence. The company’s world headquarters is near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Medrad is an affiliate of Bayer AG. More company information is available at www.Medrad.com.
The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of healthcare, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The pharmaceuticals business operates under the name Bayer Schering Pharma AG. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.
About Confirma, Inc.
Confirma provides peace of mind through leadership in innovative technology, customer support and resources for building and expanding an MRI practice. Confirma is the only company that develops and markets an operating system, CADstream, which is designed specifically for radiology networks and workflow-specific MRI applications. Confirma has revolutionized workflow and MRI study analysis and reporting through automated and standardized processing. Thousands of physicians at nearly 1,000 facilities partner with Confirma each day to provide premium patient care.
CADstream automates the analysis and interventional guidance of MRI studies, providing higher-quality imaging studies, lower costs for radiology practices and improved communication tools for physicians and patients. In its initial application, CADstream was developed to assist in the analysis, interventional guidance and reporting of breast MRI studies. CADstream can be integrated into any workflow scenario and is compatible with all MRI scanners and PACS.
Confirma strives to exceed customer expectations through exceptional service. Confirma’s experienced customer support team is a resource for seamless service, as well as training and access to CME-accredited education programs that instill confidence and assist practices in achieving their goals.
For more information, visit www.confirma.com or call 877-811-2356.
Source: Confirma, Inc
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