The Medipattern Corporation ("Medipattern") (TSX VENTURE:MKI), a pioneer in the development of medical software solutions that help improve imaging workflow and productivity, and PenRad Technologies, Inc. ("PenRad"), a leader in the development of mammography information systems (MIS) are pleased to announce the signing of a sales and distribution agreement for PenRad to incorporate Medipattern's B-CAD computer aided detection for breast ultrasound imaging product line.
The agreement licenses B-CAD to PenRad in several formats: as a software tool kit for direct implementation in PenRad products, and as the complete application solution; for distribution worldwide and in the United States. PenRad is a privately held company serving the mammography information system (MIS) market with an installed base in excess of 3,700 PenRad product licenses in the United States and Canada. The agreement is exclusive to PenRad in the MIS market.
"It is no longer enough for breast radiologists to just manage the images and generate reports well. The collaboration of Medipattern with PenRad is a key sign that our future needs are now being recognized and this is also an important first step in addressing those needs," comments A. Thomas Stavros, MD, FACR, Radiologist at Sutter Women's Health in Santa Rosa, CA and the author of Breast Ultrasound. "The collaboration can also lead to a needed fusion of breast ultrasound data with mammography and MRI data. The individual findings in the structured report including demographic data, history, clinical findings, risk factors, sonographic findings, and BI-RADS® categorization, can now be saved in a database that can also be exported to mammography databases, RIS (Radiology Information Systems), and HIS (Hospital Information Systems). From these standardized databases the turnkey reports we need can be generated, saved, and used on a regular basis. This holds promise that the many radiologists reading under the stress of daily practice will be able to generate data previously obtainable only at great cost and pain in "ivory tower" settings. Medipattern and PenRad are taking the first real steps toward true "evidence based breast imaging."
"It is a pleasure to work with Medipattern on these projects. Their expertise in breast imaging has enabled us to broaden our solution, reduce soft copy reading time, improve workflow and ultimately save our customers money. PenRad's flagship product bears the same name as the company, the PenRad Reporting System. B-CAD naturally fits into the PenRad Reporting System. A special PenLink receives the B-CAD information and effectively reads the B-CAD report to automatically enter the information and show it as a footnote on the PenRad Reporting System breast map with the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging and Data Reporting System (BI-RADS®) descriptors describing each lesion. With the PenRad / B-CAD package, radiologists can review reports with supplied information content, making minor adjustments as needed, and vastly increasing throughput while maintaining a high level of descriptive content," states Greg Gustafson President and CEO of PenRad Technologies, Inc. "The new PenView radiologist workstation embeds B-CAD and reporting in the radiologist's viewer. Where it once might have taken seven monitors and several software applications to review all breast modalities including mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer aided detection (CAD), computed tomography (CT), molecular breast imaging (MBI), positron emission tomography (PET) and nuclear imaging; and then a separate system for reporting; PenView enables the radiologist to do all of their case review and reporting on one single workstation."
"We are pleased to partner with PenRad Technologies. Many of our current customers refer to using B-CAD by saying they "B-CAD IT!" We look forward to offering PenRad's customers the ability to "B-CAD IT!" as well," added Jeff Collins, President and CEO of The Medipattern Corporation. "Marketing efforts to PenRad's customer base will begin immediately. B-CAD will be packaged with several PenRad product solutions including PenView and its flagship reporting solution the PenRad Reporting System. PenView is being introduced at RSNA and is ready for immediate shipment. The PenRad Reporting System packaged with B-CAD will be ready for shipment in early 2010."
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