HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Siemens Medical Solutions and Alexian Brothers Hospital Network announce the world's first installation of the Symbia(R) S at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The facility will leverage the system's SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography) technology to establish a molecular imaging environment for cardiology, oncology and general nuclear medicine procedures.

St. Alexius Medical Center is a 321-bed community hospital that has been providing healthcare to the residents of northwest Chicago suburbs for more than 20 years. Patients there will benefit from earlier diagnosis made possible by the system's advanced SPECT technology. The Symbia S will be used for cardiology and oncology screening, and disease identification in cardiac and cancer patients.

"Molecular imaging technology will enable the physicians at St. Alexius to diagnose disease earlier," said Darius Rubas, chief technologist, St. Alexius Medical Center. "The earlier disease is diagnosed, the better the chances for finding effective treatment as well as prevention and prediction techniques."
"We created the Symbia S to help facilities not only address their current clinical needs, but to begin preparing for the future," said Michael Reitermann, president, Molecular Imaging Division, Siemens Medical Solutions. "The system's upgradeable platform opens the door for St. Alexius to access the most advanced applications available today and expected tomorrow."

The Symbia S, a SPECT-only offering, provides a simple solution enabling medical facilities an entry to the molecular imaging environment, with the option to upgrade to a range of attenuation correction, anatomical mapping, and CT options at a later date. The system's High-Definition (HD) Dynamic Digital Detectors, Flash 3D technology, workflow automation feature, and user-friendly design allow for integration into a variety of clinical settings. The integration of syngo(R), Siemens' unique software platform, into the Symbia operating system provides a common, intuitive user interface that grants physicians at St. Alexius easy access to patient data.

This technology serves a broad range of applications, including general nuclear medicine, oncology, cardiology, and neurology studies that provide for a more accurate rapid diagnosis of disease states. Its user-friendly design increases comfort and provides easy access for patients, whether ambulatory, in wheelchairs, or on stretchers, allowing for integration into a variety of clinical settings.

Siemens Medical Solutions of Siemens AG (SI) with headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Erlangen, Germany, is one of the largest suppliers to the healthcare industry in the world. The company is known for bringing together innovative medical technologies, healthcare information systems, management consulting, and support services, to help customers achieve tangible, sustainable, clinical and financial outcomes. Employing approximately 33,000 people worldwide and operating in more than 120 countries, Siemens Medical Solutions reported sales of 7.6 billion EUR, orders of 8.6 billion EUR and group profit of 976 million EUR for fiscal 2005. More information can be obtained by visiting www.usa.siemens.com/medical-pressroom.

SOURCE: Siemens Medical Solutions

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