OIL & GAS

Vital Images, a leading provider of enterprise-wide advanced visualization solutions, and R2 Technology, Inc., the market leader in computer-aided detection (CAD) technology, have signed a three-year sales and marketing agreement. The companies will jointly sell R2 Technology's ImageChecker CT Lung CAD software integrated into Vital Images' recently released CT Lung visualization option. This new agreement will create a technology solution that combines Vital Images' core competency of advanced visualization with R2's core competency of CAD. Additionally, the new agreement will allow for closer collaboration with sales and marketing. "The Vital Images installed base of more than 1,900 licenses provides a ready market for this attractive package," said Jay D. Miller, Vital Images president and chief executive officer. "By pairing our CT Lung visualization option with R2 Technology's innovative lung CAD capabilities, we are providing customers the best of both worlds. Today, finding lung cancer at an early, more treatable stage is the exception rather than the rule. Therefore, we are seeing growing interest among radiologists and oncologists in advanced visualization and CAD solutions." Vital Images developed the CT Lung visualization option and recently introduced it in Vitrea 2, Version 3.7. This application can play an important role in lung cancer diagnosis, monitoring and treatment follow-up comparisons. R2 Technology is the only company to receive FDA approval for the use of CAD in improving the detection of actionable lung nodules during review of multi-detector CT chest exams. CAD algorithms examine a CT chest study and automatically mark areas warranting further examination, thereby increasing diagnostic accuracy and physician productivity. An R2 Technology research study demonstrated that use of the ImageChecker CT Lung CAD system can increase the detection of actionable lung nodules by calling attention to potential abnormalities. "We are proud of our ImageChecker CT Lung CAD software's ability to improve nodule detection and physician productivity. We look forward to working with Vital Images to broaden distribution of this unique combination of CAD and advanced visualization solutions," said John Pavlidis, president and chief executive officer of R2 Technology.