Hologic Inc has launched its Lorad Selenia Full Field Digital Mammography System in the United Kingdom at a cancer fundraiser hosted by the Cancer Centre of Excellence at St. Barts Hospital in London. Attending the fundraiser were Jack Cumming, Chairman and CEO of Hologic, Paul White, CEO of St. Barts and the London NHS Trust, Dr. Nick Perry, Director of Breast Screening of St. Barts and The London NHS Trust, Bernard Cazenove, Chairman, Cancer Centre of Excellence Appeals Board, US Ambassador William Farish and his wife Sarah.

The full field digital mammography system, marketed under the LORAD Selenia brand name, generates high-resolution superior digital mammography images for screening and diagnosis of breast cancer. The Selenia system incorporates Hologic's proprietary direct conversion, award winning, digital amorphous selenium detector. The detector uses patented amorphous selenium technology to directly convert x-ray beams to electronic signal, for complete elimination of image degrading light scatter and preservation of image sharpness. The Selenia is the only FDA approved digital mammography system using this direct conversion technology. Mammography images can be interpreted on either hard copy film or the Selenia soft copy review workstation.

Paul White, Chief Executive of St. Barts and The London NHS Trust, said, "We're very happy with this state-of-the-art digital mammography system, which is the first of its kind in the UK and is expected to be of tremendous benefit, both to patients who come for breast screening and staff in the Radiology department at St. Barts. One of the key features of the Cancer Centre of Excellence, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2004, will be its use of the very latest technology. The Centre will have the benefit of new, advanced digital breast screening equipment with a total of four Selenia digital mammography systems."

"As a developer of leading edge medical imaging systems focused on women's healthcare, Hologic is strongly committed to the support of breast cancer awareness initiatives on a global level. We have seen first hand the devastating effect this disease has on patients and their families, as well as the dramatic role early detection plays in saving lives, said Jack Cumming, Hologic's Chairman and CEO. The adoption of the Selenia digital mammography system by the Cancer Centre of Excellence at St. Barts Hospital will provide the necessary diagnostic capabilities to enhance the opportunity for the early detection of breast cancer and further strengthen our position as the preeminent leader in breast imaging technology."