New Siemens Mammography System Designed to Lower Radiation Dose up to 30 Percent

Chicago, November 26, 2012 – At the 98th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), from November 25 to 30 in Chicago, Siemens Healthcare (Booth #831, East Building/Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, Hall D) will display  the MAMMOMAT® Inspiration Prime Edition – which the company has designed to be the first mammography system that lowers patient dose up to 30 percent without compromising image quality. The MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition is intended to lower dose by replacing the standard scatter radiation grid with a new algorithm for progressive image reconstruction. This new algorithm is intended to identify scatter-causing structures and calculates a corrected image, enabling complete use of primary radiation so physicians can achieve high-quality images using less dose. The development of innovative products like the digital full-field MAMMOMAT Inspiration is a goal of the Siemens Healthcare Sector’s global Agenda 2013 initiative.

In digital X-ray breast imaging, radiation passes through the examined breast to a detector. Primary radiation supplies the information needed to produce the X-ray image, while scattered radiation is absorbed by special grids positioned between the breast and the detector. Unfortunately, these scatter grids also absorb part of the all-important primary radiation, forcing physicians to use a higher dose to obtain images of desired quality. Since mammography means regular screening of healthy women, minimizing dose is extremely important.

Siemens’ new reconstruction algorithm for the MAMMOMAT Inspiration system – known as Prime (Progressive Reconstruction, Intelligently Minimizing Exposure) – is intended to eliminate the need for the conventional scatter radiation grid. The Prime algorithm is designed to correct the scattered radiation by identifying scatter-causing structures and recalculating the image. The primary radiation that radiologists rely upon remains intact. Therefore, a grid is no longer necessary, and lower doses are sufficient to produce high-quality images. The grid-free imaging technology of the MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition is intended to reduce radiation dose up to 30 percent compared to its predecessor model, depending on the thickness of the patient’s breast tissue.

The MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition is based on the modular MAMMOMAT Inspiration platform for screening, diagnostics, and biopsy used by hospitals and physicians’ offices since 2007. Facilities have the option of purchasing the basic equipment, upgrading to biopsy or tomosynthesis features later as the need arises.

The MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition is pending 510(k) clearance, and is not yet commercially available in the United States.

Launched by Siemens Healthcare Sector in November 2011, Agenda 2013 is a two-year global initiative to further strengthen the Healthcare Sector's innovative power and competitiveness. Specific measures will be implemented in four fields of action: Innovation, Competitiveness, Regional Footprint, and People Development.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2012 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 13.6 billion euros and profit of 1.8 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.
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