MALVERN, Pa. and WAIKOLOA, Hawaii - Fueling scientific researchers' quest to cure today's most puzzling diseases, Siemens Medical Solutions (www.usa.siemens.com/medical) has announced that The University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center (UWCCC) is the first facility to install its Inveon^TM preclinical imaging system. Driven by customer input, and with the collaborative efforts of Jamey Weichert, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Siemens developed this dock-able multimodality system to offer maximum imaging versatility and performance.

A scaleable platform, Inveon enables facilities to perform Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), and/or Computed Tomography (CT) imaging individually or in combination, while providing a multimodality upgrade path as well as a comprehensive suite of preclinical analysis applications. In addition, Inveon offers the highest PET sensitivity and highest resolution available for preclinical imaging. The Inveon system will be demonstrated at the Fifth Annual Society of Molecular Imaging (SMI) show taking place from Aug. 30 through Sept. 2 in Waikoloa, Hawaii.

"Researchers can expedite the detection and evaluation for preclinical disease treatment by utilizing up to three different scans simultaneously in one compatible system," said Michael Reitermann, president, Molecular Imaging Division, Siemens Medical Solutions. "Inveon will help our customers address research needs, from academic and translational research, to drug discovery and development."
The Inveon system provides researchers the tool that can:

* Visualize and characterize disease
* Answer questions on how diseases progress
* Evaluate treatments that can slow or stop the transition to cancer in preclinical models of diseases
* Transition preclinical studies from the lab to the clinic

UWCCC installed the PET component of the Inveon system and were immediately taking preclinical images. The facility is set to receive the CT portion in early September. The system will be used for initial preclinical dual modality virtual colonoscopy studies as well as for testing of an experimental cancer tracer.

"The Inveon system establishes and delivers the physical limits of PET and CT imaging, pushing researchers to develop molecular imaging agents that are capable of capitalizing on its incredible resolution and sensitivity," said Weichert. "Within hours of receiving the system, we were able to set up and acquire the first preclinical images."

Inveon also offers enhanced imaging capabilities, optimized data acquisition, state-of-the-art image fusion technology, and high-end integrated visualization and analysis capabilities.

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 33,000 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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