Siemens Medical Systems will be offering mammography systems with CR technology from Fujifilm Medical Systems USA of Shelton, CT, under a new deal between the companies. The agreement was announced at last week's RSNA meeting.
Under terms of the deal, Iselin, NJ-based Siemens will sell the Fuji CR as a full-field digital mammography (FFDM) option on its Mammomat 3000 and Mammomat 3000 Nova systems. Mammomat users will be able to replace their conventional film-screen cassettes with Fuji CR plates, giving them the ability to produce digital mammography exams.
Siemens believes that CR can be a cost-effective alternative to more expensive FFDM systems based on flat-panel digital detector technology. Recent advances such as dual-side 50-micron plate reading technology make CR appropriate for breast imaging, according to the company. The CR option would be offered as an upgrade to Mammomat 3000 users in the field, and as an option on new Mammomat 3000 systems.
The companies still must receive Food and Drug Administration approval to market CR for breast imaging applications before U.S. sales can begin. It's not yet clear whether CR mammography would be regulated under the 510(k) system or the more rigorous premarket approval (PMA) process, according to Siemens executives.
CR mammography will enable Siemens to offer an FFDM option as it works on its own flat-panel digital offering. The company is now examining panels based on amorphous selenium, after originally working on an amorphous silicon approach.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersDecember 7, 2000
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Siemens seeks to cut full-field digital mammo costs, March 24, 2000
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