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NEWS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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CEDARA SOFTWARE INTRODUCES ORTHOPAEDIC PLANNING SOFTWARE FOR
INTEGRATION INTO IMAGING COMPANY SOLUTIONS
OrthoWorks ProPlanner™ automates planning steps to increase efficiency.
Newest Cedara application allows companies to further expand clinical offerings.
Toronto , ON , May 30, 2007 – Cedara Software, a Merge Healthcare company (NASDAQ: MRGE; TSX: MRG) and a leading independent developer of medical software technologies for the global healthcare market, announced the introduction of a sophisticated new orthopaedic package for imaging companies. Cedara’s OrthoWorks ProPlanner features several automated functions to streamline planning of common orthopaedic procedures. ProPlanner is designed for integration into existing imaging platforms, such as Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS).
ProPlanner technology bridges the gap between how orthopaedic surgeries have traditionally been planned with the inevitable future of planning, which involves digital images. Corrective surgery using prosthetic implants that used to be planned with grease pencils on hard x-ray films can now be planned on-screen with advanced software tools. Combining image manipulation and automation with an architecture designed for integration and customization according to OEM specifications, OrthoWorks ProPlanner offers a comprehensive digital solution for joint arthroscopy, trauma, deformity correction and more. ProPlanner supports surgical planning, templating, archiving and distribution.
Automating workflow improves templating efficiency
Built with Cedara’s unique ImageSnap Technology™, OrthoWorks ProPlanner is packed with automation designed to minimize mouse clicks for standard planning procedures. Automated steps include:
- Image stitching: In such procedures as total knee replacement and spine surgery, it is impossible to capture all anatomy in a single image. Automatic image stitching enables users to fuse multiple images, visualize them as one unified whole and take measurements.
- Hip planning: Common measurements for hip templating are automatically determined without requiring any user input. Once a hip implant and operative side are selected, ProPlanner automatically overlays a suggested implant size and position on the image. Users can accept, reject or revise automatic planning recommendations.
- Reporting: ProPlanner automatically populates reports with key images, measurements, templated implants and patient demographics. Users can optionally add technical notes to the report.
Orthopaedic templates
OrthoWorks ProPlanner supports digital CAD-based templates from all major implant manufacturers. With one of the largest implant libraries, dedicated 2D functionality, tools for calibration and features for trauma, joint arthroscopy and deformity, ProPlanner is the definitive solution for orthopaedic planning. For example, image and template scales are maintained when the user employs magnification or zoom tools, and optimal implant size can be planned pre-operatively using overlays on digital images.
Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic ( Tallahassee, Fla.) recently tested ProPlanner with its PACS to enable surgeons to more efficiently plan surgeries through automatic templating and reporting.
"ProPlanner’s automatic templating makes hip planning less time-consuming and tedious and has proven useful in helping me select the right implant," says orthopaedic surgeon Robert L. Thornberry, M.D. "Workflow and the organization of case information also are improved with the ProPlanner reporting features."
OrthoWorks ProPlanner includes a wide range of productivity tools designed to accommodate different planning methodologies while streamlining workflow. These tools include AutoPlan, which saves sets of combined templates to further streamline auto-templating, and Favorites List, which provides a shortcut for fast template access to frequently used implants. A Custom Measurements tool streamlines multi-step measurements by defining custom macros to perform complex measurements. Study List Filters quickly sort through patient studies by anatomy, date, patient name or other user-defined criteria, and Advanced Measurements & Tools provide useful parameters, such as line-angle ratios and differences, Cobb angles, parallel/perpendicular lines, midline determination and others.
OrthoWorks ProPlanner™ is a C4-enabled application
Through Cedara’s unique C4 ( Cedara Clinical Control Center) integration platform, OrthoWorks ProPlanner™ can be tightly integrated into existing PACS solutions. C4 is an integration framework that enables modular integration of clinical applications with minimal impact on the host (e.g. PACS) software product. A C4-enabled host and clinical application provide an integrated desktop with procedure-centric workflow.
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Cedara Software is a Merge Healthcare company focused on the development of customized software solutions and development tools for the medical imaging OEM market. Cedara’s solutions enable OEM companies to accelerate their time-to-market, reduce development costs and access new streams of revenue. Cedara’s software is deployed in hospitals and clinics worldwide and is licensed by many of the world's leading medical device and healthcare information technology companies. Cedara’s technologies and engineering services span all the major digital imaging modalities and a wide variety of clinical specialties including radiology, orthopaedics, women’s health, oncology, cardiac imaging, clinical trials, imaging for the veterinarian market and more. For additional information, visit our website at www.cedara.com .
Merge Healthcare is a leading medical imaging software and services company. Our innovative software solutions use leading-edge imaging software technologies that accelerate market delivery for our OEM customers, while our end-user solutions improve our customers' productivity and enhance the quality of patient care they provide. For additional information, visit our website at www.mergehealthcare.com.
All trademarks appearing in this release are the property of Cedara Software Corp. and/or Merge Healthcare.
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Attn: Beth Frost-Johnson
Merge Healthcare
6737 West Washington St.
Suite 2250
Milwaukee, WI 53214
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| Except for the historical information herein, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements that may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words “will,” “believes,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “expects” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the uncertainty created by, the adverse impact on relationships with customers, potential customers, suppliers and investors potentially resulting from, and other risks associated with, the changes in the Company’s senior management; costs, risks and effects of the investigation by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors; the impact of the restatement of financial statements of the Company and other actions that may be taken or required as a result of such restatement; the Company's inability to timely file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission; risks associated with the Company's inability to meet the requirements of The NASDAQ Stock Market for continued listing, including possible delisting; costs, risks and effects of legal proceedings and investigations, including the informal, non-public inquiry being conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and class action, derivative, and other lawsuits; risks in product and technology development, market acceptance of new products and continuing product demand, the impact of competitive products and pricing, ability to integrate acquisitions, changing economic conditions, credit and payment risks associated with end-user sales, dependence on major customers, dependence on key personnel, and other risk factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events, developments, or changed circumstances, or for any other reason.
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