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Kortrijk, Belgium, 29 April 2009 - Medical imaging specialist Barco is further expanding its clinical collaborator network with a brand-new customer reference site at the 'Dienst Medische Beeldvorming', the radiology practice serving the General Hospital Group AZ Groeninge in Kortrijk, Belgium. With this initiative, Barco further intensifies its cooperation with the clinical end-user community.

As a global reference site, the Dienst Medische Beeldvorming (Medical Imaging Department) has been equipped with the very latest in diagnostic display technology, including the first 6 MegaPixel color display system for diagnostic imaging. In addition, the department has rolled out Barco's MediCal QAWeb solution for intervention-free calibration, Quality Assurance and asset management throughout the enterprise. The program will carry on when the AZ Groeninge Hospital, along with the Dienst Medische Beeldvorming, will move to a brand-new facility on the outskirts of the city of Kortrijk, a stone's throw away from Barco's headquarters.

The Dienst Medische Beeldvorming at AZ Groeninge is a long-standing Barco customer and has been using Coronis 2MP, 3MP and 5MP Mammo monitors throughout its radiology department for several years. As a Barco reference site, they will now also deploy the innovative Coronis Fusion 6MP DL display system in their reading rooms, where radiologists routinely read multiple (color and grayscale, moving and static) images from advanced modalities such as X-ray, CT, MRI, PET-CT, US and angiography.

"By deploying the very latest imaging technology, our hospital is able to further advance its healthcare services and provide patients with the best possible patient care," said Jan Deleu, CEO of the AZ Groeninge Hospital.

Dr. Patrick Seynaeve, Head of Radiology at the AZ Groeninge Hospital, praised the new Barco 6 MegaPixel diagnostic displays: "We make life critical decisions every day. The multi-modality Coronis Fusion 6MP DL display system will provide us with the best image quality available and increases our diagnostic confidence."

For Barco, the agreement offers new opportunities to interact directly with the clinical end-user community. "The close collaboration with the Dienst Medische Beeldvorming will allow us to analyze the use of medical displays in their natural, clinical habitat and inspire us to create new products that further enhance productivity, clinical workflow and diagnosis," stated Carl Peeters, President Monitoring, Control & Medical at Barco. "Moreover, it will give physicians and clinical professionals from other hospitals a chance to come and see our imaging products in operation in a real-world, high-volume clinical practice," Peeters added.

About AZ Groeninge Hospital
The AZ Groeninge Hospital Group includes four hospitals and represents approximately 1100 hospital beds in total, outpatients not included. With its 2400 employees, 200 physicians and a turnover of 250 million euro, AZ Groeninge can be counted as one of the largest hospitals in Belgium. Internationally acknowledged for its achievements in oncology, the hospital specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, rheumatology, geriatrics, psychiatry as well as cutting-edge robot-assisted surgery.

About Barco
Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops visualization products for a variety of selected professional markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with about 3500 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of euro 725 million in 2008.