TechniScan launches clinical study to assess clinical utility of Warm Bath Ultrasound

TechniScan, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TSNI) ("TechniScan" or the "Company"), a medical device company engaged in the development and commercialization of an automated 3-D breast ultrasound imaging system, today announced that in collaboration with University Medical Center Freiburg in Germany, it has launched a clinical study to assess clinical utility of TechniScan's Warm Bath Ultrasound.

TechniScan's Warm Bath Ultrasound (WBU™) system is designed for state-of-the-art ultrasound technology, used in a warm water tank, to capture 3-D images of the breast as a woman lies prone on a table.

The University Medical Center Freiburg was founded in 1457 and is one of the most prestigious and reputable hospitals in Europe due to its extensive clinical capabilities and advances in medical research. The Breast Examination Center of the Radiology Department, University Medical Center Freiburg is a regional center for women's health and it is the ideal place for the study.  

Clinicians will scan a total of at least 150 women within three defined groups: Those with normal mammography findings, those with known benign lesions, and those with known malignancies. The study includes direct comparison of TechniScan's WBU™ images against mammogram, MRI and hand held ultrasound to directly evaluate the ability of WBU™ in providing comparative diagnostic findings.  

Italian medical imaging company Esaote cooperated with TechniScan in the development of the WBU™ system and will support TechniScan's efforts in Europe and in Italy. "The Warm Bath Ultrasound system has been developed with groundbreaking science and technology," said Dr. Luigi Satragno, R&D and strategic marketing general manager of Esaote.  "We look forward to seeing the clinical studies results and to a long and productive partnership with TechniScan."

Radiologists involved in the Freiburg study will utilize TechniScan's imaging network which provides them with the ability to archive, store, and retrieve anonymous WBU™ images and relevant medical records and will discuss and compare their results with other researchers.  

"Our vision is to begin to create a database of thousands of anonymous breast images and related data," said Dave Robinson, chief executive officer at TechniScan, Inc. "This scientific database will consist of anonymous mammograms, breast MRIs and WBU™ images, along with related pathology and other information, to provide researchers around the world an unprecedented opportunity to study breast cancer. The concept is simple, yet revolutionary within the medical system and represents a key competitive advantage of the TechniScan system."