Company exhibit features minimally invasive methods for assessment of liver fibrosis
Barcelona, Spain, April 18, 2012 – Siemens Healthcare is showcasing its broad portfolio of diagnostic solutions, designed to help physicians manage patients with liver disease, at the 47th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), Barcelona, Spain, April 18 – 22, 2012 (Booth #24). The exhibit — themed “Liver Health. Powered by Innovation.” — features the company’s most recent minimally invasive methods for assessing liver fibrosis, including the first CE-marked liver fibrosis marker panel and a new ultra-premium ultrasound platform that helps measure liver disease progression.
“Patient management in chronic liver disease is an evolving area of diagnostic medicine,” said Luis Lasalvia, M.D., Director, Strategic Innovations, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “Siemens’ latest methods for liver fibrosis assessment are an exciting part of this evolution, and an important complement to our portfolio of liver health solutions, which also include routine chemistry tests, hepatitis serology assays, viral load testing and ultrasound imaging.”
The Siemens liver health diagnostic solutions displayed at EASL 2012 include¹ the ADVIA Centaur® Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF™) Test², the first routine standardized direct biomarker panel for the assessment of liver fibrosis. With results provided in about an hour, the ELF test combines in an algorithm three serum biomarkers—hyaluronic acid (HA), Procollagen III amino terminal peptide (PIIINP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1)—which provide a score, shown to correlate to the level of liver fibrosis as assessed by liver biopsy. In an international multi-centre study with a mix of patient groups, the ELF test was clinically validated and found to be accurate to differentiate mild, moderate and severe fibrosis.³
Information is also available regarding the VERSANT® HCV RNA 1.0 Assay (KPCR), a highly sensitive viral load assay for the VERSANT kPCR Molecular System.4 It aids in the management of individuals infected with hepatitis C (HCV)—one of the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide5— who are undergoing antiviral therapy. This assay provides outstanding precision across the dynamic range and 100% specificity with a 95% lower confidence limit of 99.7%, and features technology that is compatible with all HCV genotypes.
Visitors to the booth may also explore the ACUSON S3000™ Ultrasound System,6 the new high-end ultrasound system from Siemens. Its unique One-Click eSie FusionTM imaging7 allows the auto registration of computed tomography (CT) images in seconds, making ultrasound image fusion suitable for the clinical routine. In addition, the system offers the most comprehensive tissue strain analysis toolbox in the industry today. Virtual Touch™ tissue imaging and quantification8 on both the ACUSON S3000 and ACUSON S2000 ultrasound systems allows physicians to evaluate liver tissue with both qualitative assessment and quantitative values. Multiple published papers support liver fibrosis assessment and staging with ultrasound.
These liver health technologies demonstrate Siemens’ innovative leadership, one of the goals of the recently launched Siemens Agenda 2013 program. For additional information about the Siemens solutions noted above, please visit www.siemens.com/diagnostics or www.siemens.com/ultrasound.
¹ Disclaimer: The products/features (mentioned herein) are not commercially available in all countries. Due to regulatory reasons their future availability cannot be guaranteed. Please contact your local Siemens organization for further details.
² Not available for sale in the U.S.
³ Rosenberg et al, (2004), “Serum Markers Detect the Presence of Liver Fibrosis: A Cohort Study” Gastroenterology; 127:1704-1703.
4 Not available for sale in the U.S.
5 Lavanchy D. The global burden of hepatitis C. Liver Int 2009; 29:74-81
6 510 (k) pending. Not commercially available. Due to regulatory reasons, its future availability cannot be guaranteed.
7 Not commercially available. Due to regulatory reasons, its future availability cannot be guaranteed.
8 Not commercially available in the USA. Due to regulatory reasons, its future availability cannot be guaranteed.
Launched in November 2011, Agenda 2013 is a global initiative to further strengthen the innovative power and competitiveness of the Siemens Healthcare Sector. Specific measures will be implemented in four fields of action: Innovation, Competitiveness, Regional Footprint, and People Development.
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2011 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 12.5 billion euros and profit of around 1.3 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.
Contact:
Susan Drew
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