PETNET Solutions Announces Sodium Fluoride Trial Program to Help Alleviate ^99mTc Shortage

Knoxville, Tenn., March 19, 2010 – PETNET Solutions, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. announced today that it will use its national network of 47 radiopharmacies to distribute ¹⁸F Sodium Fluoride (NaF) free of charge for a limited time period in an effort to alleviate the effects of the global molybdenum shortage.

Participants in this trial program will receive ¹⁸F NaF for only a nominal delivery fee between March 22 and April 9, 2010. Interest in ¹⁸F NaF is growing due to its ability to deliver noticeably better image quality than traditional planar bone scans, and to offer greater differentiation of benign versus malignant lesions. PETNET Solutions is prepared to distribute ¹⁸F NaF as this demand increases.

¹⁸F NaF is an FDA-approved imaging agent and is used in the detection of bone metastases. CMS reimbursement support of the imaging agent could provide the medical community with alternatives to ⁹⁹mTc labeled diphosphonate agents, in particular, during the ongoing global shortage of ⁹⁹Mo/⁹⁹mTc generators.

Call PETNET Solutions at 1-877-473-8638 to learn more about the ¹⁸F NaF free trial program. To find more information online, visit www.siemens.com/nafprogram.

1. The ¹⁸F NaF dose is free of charge. A delivery fee will be charged.
2. Limited time only: March 22, 2010 – April 9, 2010. Participation in the program is subject to PETNET’s standard Program Agreement.
3. ¹⁸F NaF is not currently covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Submission of NaF scan claims to other insurers is permitted only if the plan clearly covers NaF PET bone scans. As a condition of participation, provider cannot charge the patient for the NaF dose.

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 48,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2009 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 11.9 billion euros and profit of around 1.5 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.