Andover, Mass. -- Philips Medical Systems, a division of Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI), and the medical and engineering schools of Dartmouth College, have entered into a multi-year research agreement to develop innovative imaging capabilities that aim to better enable earlier detection and treatment of heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases. For Dartmouth, this is the first of its kind collaboration that brings together world-class academic and clinical researchers from Dartmouth Medical School and the Thayer School of Engineering with industry-leading technology and scientists from Philips to develop and expedite novel diagnostics and therapies to improve clinical care.

As part of the collaboration between Philips and Dartmouth, researchers will utilize a range of Philips imaging solutions, including using targeted molecular imaging to help visualize newly formed blood vessels in the cardiovascular system. Through functional and metabolic imaging, researchers may be able to measure the impact of these new vessels on tissue function and blood perfusion (the ability to force a fluid through an organ). Additionally, by utilizing modalities like magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, researchers may be able to develop new techniques for diagnosing and treating of patients with cardiac and peripheral ischemia.

Dartmouth's Advanced Imaging Center (AIC) is housed at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, the principal site for research including clinical trials in cancer, cardiology, and neurology. Truly collaborative, the AIC leverages the depth and range of Dartmouth's expertise in advanced imaging technologies through an interdisciplinary approach for the development of novel diagnostics and treatment opportunities that translate directly into improved clinical care.

"Improving diagnosis and treatment options for cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological conditions represents one of the biggest challenges in medicine," said Dartmouth Medical School Dean Stephen P. Spielberg, M.D. "The role of medical imaging in these areas has grown exponentially in recent years, with groundbreaking work taking place in imaging the brain, the heart, and other organs. Working with our colleagues from the Thayer School and Philips, Dartmouth sees the opportunity to combine the intellectual strengths of academia with an industry leader as a key to further unlock advances in medical imaging."

In the studies being conducted at Dartmouth, researchers will employ a multi-modality approach that may impact diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease and various cancers in the breast and brain. For example, an enhanced ability to assess tissue viability in a reliable manner would be an important clinical tool in cardiovascular disease. The combination of imaging plaque in new vessels with PET imaging would increase the reliability of non-invasive detection of fatty substances along the artery wall.

"Philips Medical Systems is deeply committed to advancing the diagnosis and treatment of diseases to enhance patient care through innovative research," said Diego Olego, senior vice president and chief technology officer, for Philips Medical Systems. "Working side-by-side with a prestigious medical school like Dartmouth, we will establish ways to improve and develop imaging solutions that address some of the world's more prevalent diseases."

Alternative Breast Cancer Imaging Center

The Alternative Breast Cancer Imaging Center (ABCIC) at Dartmouth develops and evaluates alternatives to current imaging methods to increase the accuracy of breast cancer detection and diagnosis, and monitoring of breast cancer progression and regression. A superb cadre of researchers from the Thayer School and the Norris Cotton Cancer Center combine technological developments with clinical studies to explore emerging technologies that can contribute to breast imaging, including Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE); and Near Infrared Spectral Imaging (NIR).

Advanced Cardio-Vascular Imaging

Through this collaboration with Philips, Dartmouth will have the ability to perform research with micro positron emission tomography (microPET), as well as other imaging technologies over the course of the relationship. These new imaging technologies will enable scientists to test and define new molecular imaging technologies, which may allow the identification of changes in the structures and functions of myocardial tissue, as well as tumor cells for brain, breast and prostate cancer. Understanding cell function at the molecular level can lead to more accurate treatment delivery and outcomes while minimizing side effects.

Norris Cotton Cancer Center's Imaging Program

The Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC), a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, is developing an imaging program to enhance early tumor detection, facilitate the development and evaluation of new drugs, and accelerate the development of new therapies to improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Researchers are working to elucidate molecular events underlying malignant tumors to help prevent cancer before it starts.

Neuroscience Center and Neuroimaging Research Center

The Neuroscience Center and Neuroimaging Research Center at Dartmouth focuses on how advanced imaging technology can help detection and assessment of early neurological disease. Key research objectives include enhanced understanding of basic disease processes, recognizing risk factors, and identifying mechanisms of treatment among prevalent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and drug addiction. Special emphasis is placed on imaging of the brain as it correlates to cognitive, emotional and behavioral processes relevant to early diagnosis, patient characterization and treatment monitoring.

About Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth Medical School, and the Thayer School of Engineering

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center brings together the expertise, dedication, and compassion of one of the nation's top hospitals and the scholarship, research and leadership of one of the nation's oldest and most distinguished medical schools to from New Hampshire's only academic medical center. The oldest engineering school in the nation, founded in 1867, the Thayer School of Engineering offered the nation's first professional engineering program designed to follow four years of undergraduate liberal arts education. Today, the school offers undergraduate and professional degree programs, integrating research, problem-solving and design into its academic programs, and offering unique multidisciplinary opportunities for its students and faculty. More information about Dartmouth, its professional schools, and its affiliated medical center, can be found at www.dartmouth.edu.