Siemens wins contract to build first molecular imaging centre in the UAE
23 April 2007 Mubadala Development has awarded Siemens Medical
Solutions a €16.7 million contract to
build and operate a molecular imaging centre (MIC) in Abu Dhabi. Expected to
open in summer 2008, the facility will be the first of its kind in the
region. It will provide diagnostic services for oncology, cardiology and
neurology. The contract was signed in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha
Lubna Al Qassimi, Minister for Economy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Mubadala
Development is a public company owned by the Government of the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi and manages a wide range of industrial projects in the Emirate and
the Gulf region.
The centre will be fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical
diagnostic equipment for anatomic and functional diagnosis. These include a
Siemens PET/CT (a hybrid combining Positron Emission Tomography, PET and
Computed Tomography, CT) diagnostic system and a Cyclotron radioisotope
delivery system. A comprehensive IT infrastructure powered by the syngo
software, developed by Siemens, will allow for data and image integration
and exchange across all parts of the MIC and with other clinics worldwide.
"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 centre“, said Waleed Al Mokarrab Al
Muhairi of Mubadala Development. The PET/CT diagnostic imaging system
combines the superiorities of CT and PET technologies in one system. The
results are the acquisition of anatomical and biological information in a
single examination. The images obtained visualise anatomical and functional
processes of the human body at the molecular level. The hybrid of PET and CT
allows for the tiniest lesions to be detected at what is currently the
industry’s highest spatial resolution. "Molecular medicine has huge
potential to enable detection of diseases at a much earlier stage. Molecular
imaging techniques in combination with specific biomarkers are helping
physicians to choose suitable medications for a particular patient, predict
and monitor the effects of those medications and personalise patients'
treatments — hence contributing to a more efficient and higher quality
treatment of common maladies like cancer, cardiovascular diseases or
neurological degenerations", said Erich R. Reinhardt, member of the board of
Siemens AG and CEO of Siemens Medical Solutions.
"The long-term vision is to identify and treat the molecular causes of
diseases long before the patient ever experiences any symptoms and Siemens
is at the forefront of developing these molecular medicine solutions that
will transform the future of healthcare.” First cyclotron in the region
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 Centre, the Cyclotron
also enables other PET diagnostic facilities in the vicinity to have access
to these biomarkers. The first project phase in 2006 saw Siemens setting
up a team of experts who have been working closely with Mubadala to
conceptualise and design what will be a unique facility with the very latest
in 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. Dr. Volker Wetekam, head of Global Solutions at Siemens
Medical Solutions, said: “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.”
Besides Siemens Medical Solutions, other divisions of Siemens are
involved in the civil works and building infrastructure of the MIC,
including Siemens’ Industrial Solutions and Services group (I&S) and Siemens
Building Technologies (SBT). More information on Siemens:
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