Journal of the American College of Cardiology Study
Highlights Significant Role for EBT in Evaluation of
Patients With Symptoms of Heart Disease
Monday March 5, 8:35 am Eastern Time
Press Release
Absence of Coronary Artery Calcium On EBT Coronary Artery Scan Identifies Major Subgroup of Symptomatic Patients With Very Low Probability of Significant Coronary Artery Blockage
SO. SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2001-- Imatron Inc. (Nasdaq:IMAT - news) today announced an important publication by the American College of Cardiology in its February 2001 Journal. The study featured the use of EBT in evaluating patients with symptoms of coronary heart disease. Prof. Ralph Haberl and colleagues from the University of Munich described their results in a paper entitled, ``Correlation of Coronary Calcification and Angiographically Documented Stenoses in Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease: Results of 1,764 Patients.''
This is the largest peer-reviewed, published, single-center study to date in which subjects at high risk of having coronary artery obstructions underwent both invasive coronary angiography and the simple, non-invasive EBT coronary artery scan to detect coronary artery calcification. Women were well represented, with 539 subjects in the total of 1,764 patients, and the authors reported that the EBT coronary artery scan was demonstrated to be equally accurate in women as in men and for all age groups. Of particular importance were the younger subjects, less than 40 years of age; 55% of whom had zero calcification and also were determined to have zero risk of obstructive coronary disease. Also highlighted in this study was the finding that the EBT coronary
artery scan demonstrated sensitivity up to 99% in males and 100% in females. These important results afford the possibility of using EBT ``as a filter in symptomatic patients to reduce the number of invasive procedures which do not lead to interventions.''
The authors reported that EBT coronary artery scanning ``was especially helpful in patients up to the age of 50 years.'' It is critical to note that this important result was corroborated in this large group of patients who were at sufficiently high risk to warrant expensive and invasive coronary angiography.
S. Lewis Meyer, CEO of Imatron, applauded the work done by these prominent researchers, commenting, ``The appropriate use of Imatron's proprietary EBT coronary artery scan in select groups of patients with atypical chest pain could save millions of dollars in unnecessary coronary angiography expense and medical risk annually. The German findings complement those from the ongoing
Emergency Room study at the Mayo Clinic in which zero ''calcium scores`` virtually rule out the possibility of severe coronary artery disease. We believe that health insurers will inevitably recognize the importance and cost effectiveness of the EBT coronary
artery scan in specific at-risk patient groups.''
Imatron Inc. is primarily engaged in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and supporting high performance electron beam tomography (EBT) scanners based on the Company's proprietary EBT technology. Imatron's EBT scanner is now in use at more than 150 major medical facilities and imaging centers around the world, including the Mayo Clinic, Hackensack University Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, Mount Sinai Medical Center, University of Iowa,
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital, Stanford University, University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center, Edward Cardiovascular Institute, Michigan Heart Imaging, Ohio Heart, University of Illinois, Arizona Heart Institute,
Alfried Krupp Krankenhaus, Essen, Landeskrankenhaus in Graz, Austria, Cardiology Research Centre in Moscow, Russia, FAU
Erlangen-Nurnberg in Erlangen, Germany, Beijing Hospital in China, BodyScan Imaging Center of Kansas City, ITG/HeartScan
Imaging, Heart Savers of Irvine, The Cooper Clinic, HealthScan of La Jolla, LifeScore of San Diego and HealthScan of Plano
(Dallas).
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this news release may contain forward-looking
statements that are based on current expectations and estimates about the industry in which Imatron operates, the estimated impact
of certain technological advances, the estimated impact of published research studies on scanner sales and procedures, as well as
management's beliefs and assumptions. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those
projected in such forward-looking statements. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others;
failed clinical demonstration of certain asserted technological advantages and diagnostic capabilities; reliance on product distributors;
competition in the diagnostic imaging market; failure to improve product reliability or introduce new product models and
enhancements; delays in production and difficulty in obtaining components and sub-assemblies from limited sources of supply;
inability to meet cash-on-delivery or prepayment terms from vendors; determinations by regulatory and administrative government
authorities; patent expiration and denial of patent applications; the high cost of the scanner as compared to commercially available
CT scanners; and the risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including
their reports on Form 10-K for their current fiscal year.
Contact:
Imatron
S. Lewis Meyer, 650/583-9964 (CEO)
Robin Kelley, 650/583-9964 (Investor Relations)
Email this story - Most-emailed articles - Most-viewed articles
More Quotes and News:
Imatron Inc (NasdaqNM:IMAT - news)
Related News Categories: computer hardware, computers, health care, medical/pharmaceutical, publishing |
