The University of Pennsylvania Health System, one of the largest health systems in the United States, has awarded a $135 million contract for Integrated Service Management to Siemens Healthcare. Over the next seven years, Siemens will be servicing and ensuring around-the-clock availability of diagnostic systems and bio-medical devices from diverse manufacturers in the customer’s various hospitals. While the diagnostic systems involved include MRI scanners, CT scanners and ultrasound systems, the second group comprises, for example, laboratory systems, surveillance monitors and anesthesia units. Many diagnostic systems are constantly monitored via a data link for remote services. This can make it possible to prevent or repair faults without having to dispatch a service engineer to the installation site. Another important aspect of Integrated Service Management is that Siemens provides consulting services to the clinic on workflow optimization and offers advanced training for service engineers and operating personnel. This new contract represents a continuous extension of the preceding eight-year service agreement. More

Kartal-Istanbul, Turkey, August 18th, 2009 – Siemens has entered into a value-added reseller agreement with leading Turkish healthcare solutions company, Simeks Tibbi Sistemler Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, to sell Soarian MedSuite, Siemens’ innovative Hospital Information System (HIS). Simeks has been specifically licensed to sell MedSuite HIS software licenses, services, and support plans to healthcare providers in Turkey. More

Malvern, Pa., Sept. 8, 2009 – Siemens Healthcare and SurgiVision, Inc. today announced an agreement for the co-development and commercialization of a real-time magnetic resonance image (MRI)-guided cardiac electrophysiology (EP) system. The two companies are collaborating with the University of Utah to bring to the clinic a fully integrated, ground-breaking EP MRI system that promises to improve conventional catheter-based cardiac procedures. More

Adding a new premium ultrasound platform to its Women’s Imaging line of products, Siemens Healthcare introduces the Acuson S2000 ultrasound system – Women’s Imaging at the 19th World Congress of Ultrasound in Gynecology and Obstetrics (ISUOG) in Hamburg, Germany. At booth No. 201, the company demonstrates how innovative 3D/4D imaging solution and unique knowledge-based applications enhance the quality of care and speed up workflows in high-risk fetal imaging, obstetrics and gynecology as well as breast imaging. More

Siemens Healthcare introduces a dedicated ultrasound solution for Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Acuson X300 ultrasound system, Premium Edition (PE) – Women’s Imaging at the International Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG). The system features exceptional clinical performance across all modes, including 3D/4D imaging. Unique workflow tools such as automated biometry measurements of the fetus streamline the exam process for greater patient throughput. Compact, highly portable, and easy to use, the system accommodates the needs especially for private practices. More

With its new diagnostic reporting software for breast imaging in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Siemens Healthcare provides radiologists with new opportunities in Women’s Health. The syngo BreVis diagnostic reporting software shows all of a patient’s examination results in a single view – for example ultrasound or radiography images next to the images from magnetic resonance imaging – impossible with previous technology. Additionally, the physician can use the new syngo BreVis Biopsy interventional software to plan and perform a biopsy when needed. It is almost fully automated and much faster than before. As such, this fast and efficient application represents a major advance for patients and users. More

Siemens Healthcare exhibits its innovations for cardiology at the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2009. In addition to the latest imaging systems, this also includes laboratory diagnostics and clinical IT systems for patient management. During this year's event, Siemens will be offering visitors to the congress an extensive theoretical and practical training program on new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. More

At the ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Congress 2009, Siemens will be demonstrating a new cardiac application for the syngo DynaCT Cardiac imaging application. During transfemoral aortic valve replacement, a heart valve prosthesis gets implanted via peripheral artery access. To position aortic valve prostheses accurately, the cardiologist must have very precise knowledge of the individual anatomy of the patient’s aorta. That's where syngo DynaCT Cardiac comes in: During the intervention, it generates CT-like cross-sectional images on an angiographic C-arm system and offers 3D reconstruction of the aortic root. These 3D images can be overlaid on actual fluoroscopic images and provide a kind of three-dimensional roadmap for the examiner. Thus, with syngo DynaCT Cardiac, the cardiologist can position the valve prosthesis more accurate and more quickly than before. More

In the near future, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL) will be installing the basis module of the hospital information system (HIS) i.s.h.med by Siemens for more than 1,400 users. The selling point for the hospital’s decision to purchase Siemens equipment were the integration into the existing ERP and SAP for Healthcare System as well as the multilingualism of i.s.h.med. The order of CHL includes the introduction of the basis module of i.s.h.med as well as the necessary services such as the training of users. More

Siemens Healthcare has been awarded to provide a hospital information system to 37 hospitals and about 300 clinics throughout the Gauteng Department of Health (Gauteng DoH) in South Africa. The order volume is about €18 million and the system will be implemented within the next three years. This is the first project of its kind for Siemens Healthcare in South Africa. Gauteng is South Africa’s fastest growing province regarding population. More

Being venturesome in business can pay off. And the Somatom Definition, the world's first CT scanner with two X-ray tubes, has the sales figures to prove it. Since its market launch at the end of 2005, this system has already been installed over 500 times in leading clinics throughout the world. This proves that dual-source technology is in demand not only in research, but in routine diagnostics as well. Siemens is still the only company capable of manufacturing dual-source CTs. Dual-source computed tomography meets the most important demand placed on medical technology by cardiologists and radiologists: To generate the highest quality and most detailed images of quickly or irregularly beating hearts – and to achieve this at only half the radiation dose in comparison to other systems currently available on the market. Moreover, the system can simultaneously generate different energy levels with its two X-ray tubes. This makes it possible to determine the type, composition and perfusion of the tissue concerned also in routine diagnostics. Due to its high scan speed and especially large bore of 78 centimeters, today Dual Source CT is also preferred for emergency care and overweight patients. More

Mammomat Inspiration, the digital mammography platform designed by Siemens and designaffairs, has received the iF Product Design Award 2009 and the red dot award: product design 2009. The device for the early detection of breast cancer shows that ease of use, high functionality, and unique design come together beautifully in a single medical engineering product. More

Siemens Healthcare and Disney are introducing a children’s book to the clinical laboratory and physician communities to educate children and parents about the diagnosis and management of allergies. Mickey and the Giant Kachoo!, featuring Disney’s Mickey Mouse, highlights a blood test to help identify allergens that trigger allergic reactions, one that’s simpler than a traditional skin-prick test and poses no risk of a severe reaction. More

The most reliable method of diagnosing gout is to aspirate the joint in order to obtain fluid to verify the presence of monosodium urate crystals (uric acid). Up to now, computed tomography (CT) has played a limited role in the evaluation of gout, since conventional CT systems cannot reliably verify deposits of uric acid. However, a current study at the Vancouver General Hospital in Canada gives rise to speculation that dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) could radically change the management of this disease. DECT enables fast, noninvasive examinations and, based on initial evaluations, has the potential to surpass the clinical examination in terms of identifying subclinical disease.. Investigations have confirmed the high sensitivity of the DECT method in detecting uric acid deposits. The Canadian scientists used the SOMATOM Definition computed tomography (CT scanner) from Siemens for their investigation. This system is the only CT scanner worldwide that features two X-ray tubes capable of simultaneously producing different energies. More

For surgical interventions, physicians increasingly use modern navigation technologies comparable. With Cappa C-Nav, Siemens Healthcare offers an optical navigation system that is especially suitable for spinal as well as trauma surgery. The new navigation system enables surgeons to perform interventions with greater safety and precision. Additionally, the method also minimizes radiation exposure to the patient as well as the OR staff. Siemens will introduce Cappa C-Nav for the first time at the Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) in Vienna from June 3 – 6, 2009. More

The new application syngo iFlow from Siemens Healthcare makes it possible for the first time to demonstrate a complete digital subtraction angiography (DSA) sequence in a single color image. Previously, multiple black and white image frames had to be reviewed to visualize the contrast medium flow through the blood vessels. Now with the colors of syngo iFlow the representation of contrast from its initial entry into the blood vessels to its flow throughout can be shown in one image. More

Effective immediately, Siemens Healthcare is offering EHP4 (Enhancement Package 4) for its i.s.h.med hospital information system (HIS). In keeping with the new HIS development strategy "i.s.h.med goes Soarian," design features of the Soarian HIS have been integrated in i.s.h.med for the first time. For example, the new ward documentation workstation for i.s.h.med now features a new user interface with a Soarian-oriented operating concept. Other innovations offered by EHP4 include e.g. an integrated graphic curve, the "OP" documentation workstation, bed allocation management compatible with SOA (service oriented architecture), as well as supplements to the Medication module for a more extensive and more efficient prescription process. More

The software developers at Siemens Healthcare have come up with something special for customers employing Siemens PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) and RIS (Radiology Information System) software: Clinical staff members process their specific tasks via "role-based portals". These portal applications are tailored to the respective users and workplaces. Therefore, each application offers precisely those functions the staff member needs for his/her tasks. Siemens developed this portal concept according to the "User Centered Design" method. By combining the practical clinical experience of many customers and users with medical knowledge and modern user ergonomics, developers created an innovative user interface which demonstrably enhances radiology workflows. Three applications of this type are already on the market: The Syngo Portal Radiologist and Syngo Portal Referring Physician support efficient workflow for diagnostic processes relating to all aspects of radiology. Furthermore, Siemens recently introduced the Syngo Portal Transcriptionist, which simplifies the transcription of medical texts for transcriptionists and secretaries. More

Siemens Healthcare (www.siemens.com/diagnostics) introduces the RAPIDPoint 340 and 350 Blood Gas Analyzers for the low- to mid-volume critical care patient testing sites. These two low-maintenance models are small, easy-to-use cartridge-based systems. The simplicity of these systems is ideal for operators in a variety of critical care testing sites including intensive care units, operating or emergency rooms, and the clinical laboratory. More

At the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2009, this year's "Exhibit Europe Award" went to Siemens Healthcare. Each year the European Society of Radiology (ESR) honors one of the companies exhibiting at the Congress with this award in recognition of its special innovative strengths in science and technology as well as its high commitment to patient care and research. Furthermore, the ESR thus also recognizes the award recipient's exceptional commitment to the goals and advancement of the ECR. More

The PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) and RIS (Radiology Information System) solutions from Siemens Healthcare are enhanced by role-based portals. Clinical staff access their tasks via portal applications that are specifically adapted to their function. The new Syngo Portal Transcriptionist, developed for the European market, contains all core functions needed by transcription offices for diagnostic reporting in radiology. The portal clearly indicates and prioritizes the main tasks that need to be addressed, for example, pick up incoming cassette, listen to digitally dictated text, or transfer text, including comments by the radiologist, to the reporting template. With this approach, the portal provides seamless interaction between radiologists and transcriptionists, reducing breaks in their workflows. More

Siemens Healthcare exhibits its latest solutions in the field of Magnetic Resonance (MR) for Oncology at the European Radiology Congress ECR 2009 in Vienna. The Syngo TimCT Oncology application enables not only comprehensive patient examinations within an extreme short examination time, it can also eliminate the need for multiple examinations with other modalities. The Syngo Tissue 4D software supports tissue differentiation of prostate cancer. In addition, Siemens presents innovative technologies in the area of Women's Health: dedicated breast coils for 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3 Tesla systems as well as the new breast scanner Magnetom Espree - Pink. The 1.5T system combines a 70cm Open-Bore design with a dedicated breast care solution. Specifically designed for obese and claustrophobic patients, the large bore makes examinations more comfortable than with previous systems, or, in some cases, it makes them possible for the first time ever. Supplementary software packages such as Syngo Grace allow for the biochemical detection of lesions that go beyond imaging. More

The changing age demographic and growth in population have lead to a greater need for more efficient health care, offering people the best possible care at an affordable price. Innovations in the technologies used and the optimization of clinical workflows play a major role in this. Themed "Ask the ultimate Power in Imaging", Siemens Healthcare will present its latest imaging innovations at the European Congress of Radiology 2009 (ECR 2009), including the new computer tomograph Somatom Definition Flash, the world's first molecular CT - the biograph mCT - and the next generation of breast magnetic resonance tomography - the Magnetom Espree-Pink. The demonstration will also feature the first automatic breast scanner Acuson S2000, the new digital radiography system Ysio and Mammomat Inspiration with 3D tomosynthesis for mammography. More

New automated breast ultrasound system automatically acquires volumes and offers intelligent clinical applications

Siemens Healthcare recently introduced the Acuson S2000 Automated Breast Volume Scanner (ABVS), the first multi-use ultrasound breast system that automatically acquires volume images of the breast. Thanks to the user-independent, standardized image acquisition, the system is ideally suited for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer with ultrasound – especially for women with dense breast tissue. More

Siemens Healthcare recently presented its first MRI breast scanner, Magnetom Espree-Pink. This 1.5-Tesla system is the latest innovation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from Siemens, featuring a dedicated solution for breast examinations. Particularly for obese and claustrophobic patients, the large, 70-centimeter magnet bore makes examinations more comfortable than with previous systems, or, in some cases, it makes them possible for the first time ever. The flexible design of the "Sentinelle Vanguard for Siemens" breast coil also optimizes the clinical workflow. Comprehensive applications, such as syngo Grace or syngo Views, additionally set a new standard in Women’s Health. More

The Peine Clinic in Lower Saxony is the first hospital in Germany to interface its angiography systems with an image management and reporting system. All data generated prior to or during an intervention in the cardiac cath lab is now automatically transferred to the new IT system. The advantage: while the examination is still in progress, operating personnel can use important examination data to prepare a report for wards or referring physicians in just a matter of minutes. Previously, this took several hours, because the data was transferred from forms to the reporting system manually and the images were also stored manually. For this innovative IT solution in the catheter laboratory in Peine, Siemens interfaced its dynamic image archiving system syngo Dynamics with the angiographic system Axiom Artis FC and the hemodynamic measuring station Axiom Sensis XP. More

Siemens Healthcare has developed Innovance Antithrombin, a new test for determining congenital and acquired antithrombin deficiency. Insufficient levels of protein in blood can lead to increased thrombophilia. Reason: Antithrombin ensures balanced blood coagulation by reducing the activity of thrombin and coagulation factor Xa which are responsible for blood coagulation. Innovance Antithrombin detects insufficient antithrombin activity, enabling the early detection of an increased risk of thrombosis in patients. More

Siemens Healthcare, one of the world’s largest suppliers of integrated and comprehensive healthcare solutions, today announced that it is to supply state-of-the-art diagnostics equipment to Al Razi Healthcare in Lahore, Pakistan. More

Siemens Healthcare today announced that it will be deploying its first complete turn-key solutions healthcare implementation in Saudi Arabia, with the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Jeddah. The implementation will also be the first redesign and refurbishment contract for Siemens in the Middle East, with the centre due to have a complete equipment overhaul for its radiology department. More

Siemens Healthcare is introducing the SOMATOM Definition Flash in the Middle East. The SOMATOM Definition Flash is a CT scanner that will set new standards regarding speed and dose reduction. The system requires only a fraction of the radiation dose that systems previously required to scan even the tiniest anatomical details faster than ever before. The SOMATOM Definition Flash is a new Dual-Source CT from Siemens, featuring two X-ray tubes that simultaneously revolve around the patient's body. The fastest scanning speed in CT (i.e., 43 cm/s) and a temporal resolution of 75 ms, enable for example complete scans of the entire chest region in just 0.6 seconds. Thus, patients are no longer required to hold their breath during the exam the way they had in the past. At the same time, the SOMATOM Definition Flash operates at an extremely reduced radiation dose. For example, a FlashSpiral heart scan can be performed with less than 1 millisievert (mSv), whereas the average effective dose required for this purpose usually ranges from 8 mSv to 40 mSv. More

Siemens Healthcare, one of the world’s largest suppliers of integrated and comprehensive healthcare solutions, today announced its participation at the Middle East’s largest healthcare exhibition and congress, Arab Health 2009. More