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NEWS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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MERGE HEALTHCARE INTRODUCES VERSION 7.0.1 OF MERGE MAMMO™ DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAPHY SOLUTION FOR EUROPEAN MARKET
Newest features in multi-modality, vendor-neutral workstation enhance efficiency, improve clinical reading capabilities and ease transition to digital mammography
Milwaukee, WI, June 28, 2007 –Merge Healthcare, (NASDAQ: MRGE; TSX: MRG), a leading medical imaging software and services provider, today announced the release of Merge Mammo™ version 7.0.1, which recently received the CE mark for commercial distribution in Europe. As one of the industry’s first multi-modality, vendor-neutral digital mammography workstation applications, this system enables organizations to display and read images from different systems simultaneously (digital mammography, ultrasound, MR, CR), and to read all breast studies on a single workstation, regardless of which vendor’s acquisition device is used to secure the images.
Version 7.0.1 offers several features including:
Enhanced full-resolution viewing – In full resolution, a digital breast image is larger than a computer screen. Radiologists must therefore pan across the image to view the image in its entirety. The process takes time and increases the likelihood that the radiologist will miss a portion of the read. Merge Mammo solution’s new functionality provides a fluid, step-through method, enabling radiologists to move from section to section in full resolution to ensure complete review of the entire image.
Optimized screen "real estate" -- In traditional mammographic images, radiologists see more than the breast. Blackened, background areas (often scans of the imaging unit itself) consume a portion of the viewing area. Viewing can be optimized by reducing background and isolating the breast. Merge Mammo now incorporates new algorithm-driven isolation of the breast image. By automatically fitting the breast image into the display, radiologists immediately see the image at maximum size, and avoid the time and distraction of moving and manipulating images.
Enhanced Grayscale Inversion – Some radiologists use an inversion technique when reading images, converting black to white and white to black. Merge Mammo 7.0.1 offers a feature that enables conversion of white (the breast image) to black, while maintaining background (non-breast image) as black. This enhances the radiologist’s ability to isolate potential problem areas more effectively when inverting images.
Merge Mammo is designed to streamline breast imaging workflow and enhance clinical reading capabilities. It offers easily customized workflow tools to support radiologist-specific viewing preferences. Facilities in North America using that region’s version of Merge Mammo are creating environments that equal or exceed hard copy (film) review speed.
“The Merge Mammo read station and software are easy to use and very intuitive,” said Steven Mendelsohn, M.D., Medical Director, Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology, Lindenhurst, N.Y. “All buttons are very intelligently laid out. Hanging protocols – even for comparing multiple prior studies – are not only very robust, but also simple to set up. The software is intuitively facile for many tasks, such as searching for prior studies that may have varied spellings of the patient’s name or the addition or subtraction of middle initials. Merge Mammo makes it easy to share and consult on difficult cases across our network, enabling radiologists 30 miles apart to simultaneously view any case.”
"Many organizations globally are adopting digital mammography as increasing numbers of clinical trials point toward its potential benefits,” said Jacques Cornet, President Merge Healthcare EMEA. "We are eager to offer our digital mammography solution to the European market and are convinced that this version of Merge Mammo will be as successful and as widely accepted in Europe as it has been in North America.”
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Merge Healthcare is a market leader in the development and delivery of medical imaging and information management software and services. 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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