Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg purchases IMRISNV

    
    -- Advanced image guided therapy system will be first of its kind in
    Canada --
    

WINNIPEG , Jan. 25 /CNW/ - (TSX: IM) - IMRIS Inc. (TSX: IM) ("IMRIS" or the "Company") today announced that Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg ("HSC") will be the first hospital in Canada with the capabilities of both IMRISNV and IMRISneuro.

The IMRIS suite at HSC will combine the value of IMRISNV and IMRISneuro and provide multi-modality image guidance capabilities to assist clinicians in improving outcomes for patients. The fully integrated suite will include an interventional theatre for neurovascular procedures such as stroke management, an operating room for neurosurgery and a diagnostic centre.

"As Manitoba's centre for trauma and neurosciences, the IMRISNV and IMRISneuro suites will enhance our surgical and diagnostic expertise by making emerging technologies available to our patients," said Adam Topp , Chief Operating Officer, HSC. "It is a powerful addition to the Centre for Surgical Innovation that will be opening in our new Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine."

The IMRIS system features a bi-plane angiography system in the interventional theatre and a wide bore 3 Tesla MR scanner. The MR scanner can be deployed into any of the three rooms, permitting rapid and efficient transitions between MR imaging and surgery or intervention without transporting the patient between modalities. MR images can be taken before and during procedures to assess tissue condition, and can also be used in conjunction with fluoroscopic images during neurovascular procedures. When not in use for intra operative imaging, both the MR and fluoroscopic system are available for diagnostic use.

No other system offers the same degree of safety for both the patient and the surgical environment. IMRISneuro does not require the patient to be transported for scanning, so the optimum position for surgical and interventional procedures is ensured. Clinical workflow and surgical access to the patient is maintained and the MR scanner is removed completely from the operating room when scanning is complete.

"We are pleased that HSC has selected both IMRISNV and IMRISneuro." said David Graves , IMRIS CEO. "The combined benefits will assist in addressing a broad range of disorders, and as a Manitoba-based company we are delighted that our solutions will be contributing to improved outcomes for patients right here where we live and work."

With today's announcement, HSC joins a select group of leading medical institutions -- including Connecticut based Yale-New Haven Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston , Massachusetts -- who have chosen IMRISNV for their facilities.

About IMRIS

IMRIS (TSX: IM) is a global leader in providing image guided therapy solutions. These solutions feature fully integrated surgical and interventional suites that incorporate magnetic resonance, fluoroscopy and computed tomography to deliver on demand imaging during procedures. The Company's systems serve the neurosurgical, cardiovascular and neurovascular markets and have been selected by leading medical institutions around the world.

About Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg

An operating division of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg (HSC) is the largest health care referral, teaching and research centre serving residents of Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut. Located on 32 acres of land in central Winnipeg , HSC is one of the largest facilities of its kind in Canada and is a major referral centre for complex health problems requiring expert consultation and sophisticated investigation and management. Designated as the trauma centre for Manitoba, HSC is also Manitoba's centre for neurosciences, burns, transplants and pediatric care. HSC is a fully accredited teaching hospital formally affiliated with the University of Manitoba and CancerCare Manitoba.

For further information: Brad Woods, Director Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, IMRIS Inc., Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]