Spanish Hospital Invests In Mammography Systems With Lowest Radiation Dose On The Market

The Oncol??gico hospital in San Sebasti??n, Spain, has invested in a complete digital mammography solution from the Swedish IT and medical-technology company Sectra. The investment will enable the hospital to offer their customers safe and efficient mammography examinations at the lowest radiation dose on the market without compromising image quality.


The order comprises four Sectra MicroDose Mammography units and Sectra's breast-imaging PACS, for managing and archiving of digital breast images. The systems will be installed at two locations and will enable them to effectively communicate with each other and improve workflow efficiency.


"We chose Sectra MicroDose Mammography because of the workflow advantages but, most importantly, we will avoid exposing women to higher radiation levels than necessary while maintaining high image quality. This will be of great benefit to the women visiting our hospital," says Dr. Ima?±a at Hospital Oncol??gico.


"The transition from film-based to digital mammography is in full progress and this order is a further important advance into the Spanish mammography market," says Carlos Cardoso, Vice President for Sectra Iberia.


Two of the systems will be installed at Hospital Oncol??gico for performing 80 screening examinations and 50 clinical examinations daily. The other two systems will be installed at the Javier de Barkaiztegui annex in downtown San Sebasti??n, a screening site that performs 80 examinations per day.


Safe, ergonomic and efficient breast examinations


The switch to digital mammography provides a number of advantages compared with analog operations. One of the major benefits is that the digital equipment reduces the radiation doses women receive during a mammography examination - without compromising image quality. In addition, the images are displayed on computer screens thereby eliminating film and film developing.


Sectra's solution, Sectra MicroDose Mammography, is based on unique photon-counting technology and provides the lowest radiation dose on the market, unsurpassed throughput, customized workflow and outstanding ergonomics. This ensures safe, stress-free and quick examinations for the patients. The radiologists receive the results quicker and the radiographers benefit from an improved ergonomic working environment.


About Sectra's medical operations


Sectra is one of the world's major diagnostic imaging system (PACS) providers. More than 900 hospitals worldwide use the system daily and more than 40 million radiology examinations are diagnosed in Sectra's system annually. In Scandinavia, Sectra is the market leader with more than 50% of all film-free installations. Outside Scandinavia, Sectra's system is installed at customers in North America and most major countries in Europe and the Far East.


About the Sectra Group


Sectra successfully develops and sells cutting-edge products in the expansive niche segments of medical systems and secure communication systems. The company was founded in 1978 and has its roots in the Link?¶ping Institute of Technology in Sweden. Today, Sectra has offices in eleven countries and operates through partners worldwide. Sales in the 2006/2007 fiscal year totaled SEK 673 million. The Sectra share is quoted on the Nordic Exchange in Stockholm. For more information about Sectra visit sectra.