ADVISORY/Duke University Medical Center Achieves Major Benchmark in Medical Imaging

Business Wire, Nov 19, 2002

Assignment Editors/Health & Medical Writers

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (Nov. 20)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Duke University Medical Center tomorrow, Wednesday November 20 will mark an important development in patient care and medical imaging technology.

Duke is the first medical institution worldwide to complete 15,000 scans on a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, an advanced imaging technology that allows physicians and technologists to detect some of the most serious health problems including cancer, neurological conditions and heart disease. The 15,000th patient scan was performed with the GE Advance PET scanner, and was the first GE system of its kind to be installed in the country.

This milestone follows last month's policy change by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to begin reimbursement for breast cancer patients receiving a PET, scan to aid in determining the extent of the disease and monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

WHO:      Duke University Medical Center, Edward Coleman, M.D.,
          professor and director of the Duke division of nuclear
          medicine

WHEN:     Tomorrow, Wednesday November 20

          During the day:   Interviews and photography available in
                            the morning and afternoon upon request.

          4:30 p.m.         Presentation to Dr. Ed Coleman

CONTACTS:
          Richard Puff, Duke University Medical Center News Office
          919/668-1889 (office) richard.puff@duke.edu

          Laurie Hobbs, GE Medical Systems
          952/442-7976 (office) 612/220-1176 (mobile)
          lhobbs@execpc.com

News release available upon request. B-roll footage is available for broadcast media.