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Business News | Abu Dhabi | Staff
Reporter | February 8, 2007
Mubadala awards contract to Siemens to build and
operate the first Molecular Imaging Center in the Gulf
(Dubai Health & News) Mubadala Development, an investment
and development corporation wholly owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi, has signed a contract with Siemens Medical
Solutions to build and operate a specialist Molecular Imaging Center
(MIC) in Abu Dhabi to include the Siemens PET/CT (Positron Emission
Tomography - Computed Tomography) diagnostic system and the Cyclotron
radioisotope delivery system.
The contract was signed by Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Chief
Operating Officer, for Mubadala and Peter Fuchs, Chief Executive
Officer, Siemens LLC. Also attending the signing ceremony was Her
Excellency Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor and Her Highness Sheikha
Lubna Al Qassimi, UAE's Minister for Economy.
The USD 21.7 million three-phased contract entails designing, building,
and operation and maintenance of the MIC. Scheduled to open during the
second half of 2008, the facility will be the first of its kind in the
region.
The first phase already began in 2006 and saw Siemens setting up a team
of experts who have been working closely with Mubadala to design what
will be a unique facility with the very latest and innovative molecular
imaging diagnostic technology. The contract signing marks the move into
the second phase of the project, when the building of the MIC will
commence. A five-year facility management and operation contract is
expected to be signed following completion of the facility construction.
The MIC will also be the first in this region to feature a Cyclotron,
Siemens' particle accelerator that produces high yields of reliable
radioisotope biomarkers. These are essential for accurate PET diagnosis.
In addition to supplying Mubadala's Molecular Imaging Center, the plan
is to enable other diagnostic facilities in the vicinity to also have
access to this important technology.
As well as the clinical provisions, the company's standard operating
system and user interface Syngo will allow seamless data sharing across
all parts of the MIC and with other clinics worldwide.
The center will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical
diagnostic equipment for anatomic and functional diagnosis.
"We are excited to begin this cooperation with Siemens, a widely
respected brand name in the global healthcare solutions marketplace.
Together, we will provide the healthcare sector in the region with
sophisticated and unparalleled molecular imaging and diagnostic
services, leveraging on the world-class facilities offered by the
center, "said Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi of Mubadala
Development.
PET/CT is a nuclear medicine procedure that produces pictures of the
body's metabolic functions. Its capability in early detection of cancer,
cardio-vascular and neurological diseases can save time and healthcare
costs, therefore improving the patient experience and increasing chances
of survival.
The PET/CT images help physicians select more effective therapies and
improve patient care, while ultimately helping to save lives. The scan
allows physicians to view metabolic activity and pinpoint where abnormal
lesions are located so that they may target the diseases. The molecular
imaging centre will mainly provide diagnostic services for oncology,
cardiology and neurology.
PET Molecular Imaging, is one of the fastest growing areas of imaging
for both research and clinical applications. The Siemens PET/CT
diagnostic system is the first solution to combine true volumetric CT
with true volumetric PET. Together, they allow the tiniest lesions to be
detected at what is currently the industry's highest spatial resolution.
Images from the PET/CT scanner can be acquired twice as fast as with a
traditional PET/CT scan with no loss in the quality of the image. More
importantly, the patients will experience increased comfort as diagnosis
can be made with half the usual CT dosage.
Surpassing bids from competitors, Peter Fuchs, CEO of Siemens LLC,
believes the reason Siemens was selected for the project is due to the
company's extensive portfolio: "With a comprehensive facility such
as the MIC, a diverse range of solutions are required. Siemens
demonstrated an attractive proposition because as a key healthcare
infrastructure provider, we presented a holistic approach to cater for
multiple aspects of Mubadala's project seamlessly," he said.
"Siemens is a pioneer in the development of new imaging techniques
and applications," explained Fuchs. "Our portfolio of
solutions includes the most sophisticated clinical imaging, as well as
preclinical and biomarker solutions that will affect every stage of
patient care; from prevention to diagnosis, therapy and follow-up. We
have already developed similar facilities in the US, UK, Germany and
Hungary. So we'll be bringing in our expertise and experience of
building such facilities to the MIC here. The new imaging center in Abu
Dhabi will mean that this cutting-edge diagnostic technology is now
available to patients in this region."
In addition, Siemens is currently working to develop new biomarkers
(substances introduced into the human body to highlight specific areas
during scanning) and innovative imaging technologies. These technologies
will result in earlier detection of disease, improved disease staging
and a faster therapy development process. One result of this is that
Siemens is developing clinical solutions which can be tailored to the
unique physiology of individual patients. The MIC in Abu Dhabi will be
equipped with these latest technologies.
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Signing Ceremony -Mubadala Development and
Siemens.
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