Philips and Electron install first Russian-made CT scanner
4 Nov 2010
Philips and Russian medical equipment manufacturer Electron
have completed Russia’s first installation and clinical validation of a
domestically made computed tomography (CT) scanner at the Hospital of
War Veterans in St Petersburg.
The 16-slice CT scanner and its peripherals have all been
produced at the production facilities of Electron in St Petersburg.
Its hardware and software for medical data storage and processing
are tailored to the specific demands of Russian hospitals. For
example, it is the first scanner with a Russian-language interface,
which is key to increasing the efficiency of diagnostic procedures
and efficient training of medical personnel.
In line with global trends, cardiovascular disease and cancer are
now the biggest contributors to Russia’s mortality rate. Medical
imaging systems, such as CT scanners, have become powerful tools
used by doctors to diagnose and treat these diseases.
“We are very pleased that our hospital has been the first to use
this advanced Russian-made CT scanner and we are fully satisfied
with the results of the clinical studies,” said Evgeny Ageenko, Head
of the Hospital of War Veterans, St Petersburg and Honored Doctor of
the Russian Federation.
“Until recently, we only had access to a 2-slice imported
scanner, but now we have the opportunity to increase the capacity of
our diagnostic CT procedures and significantly improve the quality
of our clinical studies.”
According to independent market research (source: Synovate), the
Russian imaging market is recovering from the global economic crisis
and this year it could reach more than half of the
€800 million spent in 2008. Strong
purchasing plans are already evident and it is expected that within
the next years the market size will return to its 2008 level.
''In developing our first joint product we were aiming to respond
to the unique requirements of the Russian healthcare system and
offer a solution made specifically for Russian healthcare
professionals'', says Ronald de Jong, General Manager for Philips
Healthcare in Emerging Markets. ''Today we have proven that we have
accomplished that task, and I hope that clinics across Russia will
follow the example of Saint-Petersburg hospital so that they can
address the urgent need for Russian doctors and patients to have
better access to the latest diagnostic equipment.''
“Philips and Electron worked together at all levels of the
development, production and commercialization process, making our
partnership unique in the Russian market,” comments Alexander
Elinson, CEO of Electron. “I am convinced that our domestic
production of advanced medical equipment will catalyze growth in the
local medical components industry and contribute to further
innovation in the Russian healthcare industry. It will also help to
reduce Russia’s dependence on the import of healthcare equipment.”
Today, 15% of the high-tech components used in the CT scanner
manufactured by Philips-Electron have been developed and produced
locally in Russia. It is the aim of the partners to increase this
proportion to 51% within the next three years. In the future,
Philips and Electron intend to extend their product portfolio to
include a 64-slice CT-scanner, high-end ultrasound systems and a
domestically assembled MRI scanner.