MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 28, 2006 - Siemens Medical Solutions and Chongqing Haifu (Haifu) Technology Co., Ltd. have announced a collaboration to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy system. Expanding Siemens' solutions offering, this technology should provide excellent diagnostic accuracy and innovative image-guided therapy options. The main applications of this system will focus on women's health treatments including benign uterine fibroids and cancer, as well as malignant and benign tumors of the liver, kidney, pancreas and bone.

"Combining Siemens' MRI technology with Haifu's unmatched clinical expertise in non-invasive, fast HIFU protocols will further the ability to identify and treat tumors, improving care options for doctors and patients alike," said Nancy Gillen, vice president, MRI Division, Siemens Medical Solutions. "With innovations such as Tim technology and powerful applications, Siemens' MRI solutions provide the ideal partner with their ability to visualize disease states and thus allow for earlier treatment."

The combination of MRI and HIFU enables improved visualization of tumor morphology and more precise thermal dose control, designed to reduce current treatment times. Further developments involve MRI applications for diagnosis, therapy planning and outcome assessment. Patient treatment will be performed on a special HIFU patient bed inside the bore of Siemens' MRI scanners. For example, the MAGNETOM Espree(TM) with Tim(R) (Total imaging matrix) technology is well suited for the treatment since it provides the HIFU beam excellent access to the tumor location as it offers maximum freedom for patient positioning. Sonication of uterine fibroids is expected to take considerably less time than with traditional technology.
"We are excited to partner with Siemens Medical Solutions to offer advanced HIFU technology, improving treatment options to our customers and the medical industry," said Professor Zhibiao Wang, president, Haifu. "Haifu has great international success with ultrasound-guided HIFU treatment and we believe using MRI as a guided imaging modality is the future of this technology, providing a new direction to advance tumor treatment."

HIFU technology overcomes traditional limitations, as it can visualize and treat large tissue volumes in a short matter of time. Since the 1950s, HIFU has been proposed as a therapeutic method. Today, it is used daily in hospitals around the world, with ultrasound technology commonly used as the guided imaging modality. Positive clinical outcomes involving HIFU have been documented in more than 25 international peer reviewed publications.

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