The Irish National Breast Screening Programme, BreastCheck, has chosen the IT and medical technology company Sectra's image management system Sectra PACS™ for Breast Imaging for its operation. This is Sectras's first order in Ireland for a digital mammography solution. The order also includes one low dose digital mammography stand, Sectra MicroDose Mammography™.
Sectra PACS for Breast Imaging will allow BreastCheck to efficiently use and evaluate full field digital mammography equipment such as the Sectra MicroDose Mammography stand.
"We chose Sectra as the preferred supplier of mammography technologies because we decided Sectra would be the most likely to meet the needs of BreastCheck. We are hopeful that this will lay the foundation for the development of digital imaging in the programme in the years ahead", said Niall Phelan, Medical Physicist, the National Breast Screening Programme.
Sectra will provide the current two screening sites in Dublin with Sectra PACS for Breast Imaging. The system for processing and archiving of breast images will be integrated with the BreastCheck's existing modalities, which will make all digital images available on one single platform.
Sectra´s digital mammography stand will be installed and evaluated at the Eccles Breast Screening unit. Sectra MicroDose Mammography will make it possible for BreastCheck to offer women in Ireland the lowest radiation dose on the market.
"The Irish Breast Screening Programme provides us with a great opportunity to demonstrate the quality and efficiency of our mammography systems. We are very impressed with BreastCheck's long term vision of screening and, working in partnership with our new customer, we will build a very unique and comprehensive digital breast screening service. " said Neil Emery, Commercial Manager at Sectra Ltd.
Sectra MicroDose Mammography is an easy-to-use digital solution that supports the entire workflow, from examination to documented diagnosis. The system provides unsurpassed throughput, customised workflow and outstanding ergonomics. The system's excellent performance is due to the workflow optimised design and the fundamentally new digital detector that enables dramatically reduced radiation doses without compromising image quality. This is an important factor in mammography screening where large numbers of healthy patients are examined. Sectra PACS for Breast Imaging is a complete system for the processing and archiving of all digital images used in mammography. With the system, all necessary information, such as images and patient data, is made available at reviewing workstations. This permits the radiologists to perform their work productively, cost-effectively and securely without compromising diagnostic quality or patient integrity.
BreastCheck, the Irish National Breast Screening Programme, is a free health service which aims to reduce deaths from breast cancer by finding and treating the disease early.
Phase one of the programme, offering free screening to women aged 50-64 living in the Eastern Area of Ireland, began in February 2000. The current screening area is serviced by two clinical Screening units: the Eccles Screening Unit on the campus of the Mater Misericordiae Hospital and the Merrion Screening Unit at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. Attached to these Clinical Units are a total of six mobile screening units. The area has a target population of approximately 160,000 eligible women.
In 2004 the Minister for Health and Children approved funding for the roll out of phase two of BreastCheck, which is the full expansion of screening nationwide.
For more information, see www.breastcheck.ie
Sectra Imtec AB, Dr. Torbjörn Kronander, President,
+46 705 23 52 27
Sectra AB, Dr. Jan-Olof Brüer, President and CEO,
+46 705 23 52 09,
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Sectra PACS for Breast Imaging
Mammography examination
Sectra, the recipient of the 2004 Frost & Sullivan Medical Imaging Company of the Year Award, is one of today's major diagnostic imaging providers with more than 550 installations worldwide. Sectra's core business is delivering top-of-the-line, high-availability, robust enterprise diagnostic imaging for 24/7 operation. In Scandinavia, Sectra is the market leader with more than 50% of all film-free installations. Internationally, Sectra PACS
™ is marketed and sold through various partners. Through partners, the company has a large number of systems installed in most major countries in Europe, the Far East and North America.
Sectra has its roots at the Linköping Institute of Technology and is one of Sweden's fastest growing high-tech IT companies. Since the mid-1980s, Sectra has successfully conducted development and sales of advanced products in expansive niche segements. Today, Sectra's operation includes products in medical systems and secure communication systems.
Operations are conducted in eight countries and the Company has approximately 350 employees. Sales for the fiscal year 2003/2004 amounted to SEK 495 million. Since March 1999, Sectra's shares have been quoted on the O-list of the Stockholm Exchange.
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