First Naviscan PET Scanners Installed in Europe

Positron Emission Mammography Now Available to Women in Germany and Turkey

SAN DIEGO, CA, Jan 25, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Naviscan PET scanners performing Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) have been installed in two prestigious European centers: Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Medica in Istanbul, Turkey. Capitalizing on Naviscan's distribution in 13 European countries, these mark the first installations of a backlog of orders in the European market.

"The high resolution imaging of PEM at 1.6 mm enables us to detect breast cancer, and has even shown us unexpected areas of breast cancer multifocality in both breasts as well as axillary lymph node metastasis which were otherwise undetectable on the mammogram," said Dr. Frank H.H. Mueller, Radiologist, Nuclear Medicine physician and Chairman of PET e.V Germany, a registered voluntary organization of PET users in Germany. "The possibility of biopsy immediately after the initial PEM examination is revolutionary and will provide answers to all referring physician questions."

PEM imaging shows the location as well as the metabolic phase of a lesion. This information is critical in determining whether a lesion is malignant and influences the course of treatment by providing an ability to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, what researchers term "specificity." Recent studies have demonstrated that PEM has similar sensitivity and higher specificity than breast MRI. The scanner is the only FDA-cleared, CE-certified 3D Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) device on the market with biopsy-guidance.

source: Market Wire