Medicsight Announces American College Of Radiology Imaging Network ("ACRIN") Trial Shows CT Colonography Now An Option For Colon Cancer Screening

Main Category: Colorectal Cancer
Also Included In: MRI / PET / Ultrasound;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 24 Sep 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Medicsight PLC, a subsidiary of MGT Capital Investments, Inc. (Amex: MGT), and an industry leader in the development of Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) and image analysis software, announced that the National U.S. Computerized Tomography (CT) Colonography Trial (ACRIN study 6664), shows CT colonography was able to detect 90% of asymptomatic patients with colonic polyps or cancers of 10mm and larger, compared with the gold standard examination of optical colonoscopy. The results are expected to lead to wider adoption of CT colonography (also known as CTC) as a routine screening examination for colorectal cancer.

David Sumner, CEO of Medicsight, commented: "We are delighted with the results of this study, which confirms our belief in CTC as a non-invasive alternative to optical colonoscopy for the screening of colon cancer. The level of sensitivity that can be achieved for the detection of polyps is extremely high, and because of its non-invasive nature we believe there will be a greater uptake of this type of screening in the future for those at greatest risk of developing colon cancer. CTC will undoubtedly improve the diagnostic and treatment options of patients with this devastating disease. We predict that Medicsight's ColonCAD product will be a direct beneficiary of this trend towards utilizing CTC as the colon cancer screening modality of choice."

The study, published this month in 'The New England Journal of Medicine,' assessed 2531 asymptomatic patients over the age of 50, who were at an average risk of colon cancer. Patients were screened using both CTC and optical colonoscopy, which served as the reference standard. The study showed a per-patient sensitivity of 90% for polyps or cancers 10mm or larger in diameter using CT colonography, augmenting similar reported studies of the effectiveness of CTC in average risk screening patients. The ACRIN trial also identified 78% of patients who had a polyp or cancer of 6mm or larger.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. When colorectal cancer is detected early the survival rate is high. Regular screening is recommended for those most at risk and population screening for people aged 50 or older. However, less than half these people actually undergo a screening procedure. Conventional optical colonoscopy, involving the insertion of a flexible fiber optic scope into the colon, remains the "gold standard" for detection of colonic polyps and early-stage tumors. However, by comparison CTC is non-invasive, considered less uncomfortable for the patient and offers great potential as an effective examination for routine colorectal screening. The results of this ACRIN study are expected to be a key factor in support of U.S. reimbursement for CTC by health insurance companies, thereby driving wider adoption of this technique and increased levels of screening compliance in the at-risk population.

About MGT Capital Investments, Inc.

MGT Capital Investments, Inc is a technology holding company that focuses on investments in the global healthcare information technology market. The Company has two subsidiaries, Medicsight PLC and Medicexchange PLC.

Medicsight PLC (AIM: MDST) is a UK-headquartered, research driven, leading developer of computer-aided detection (CAD) and image analysis software for the medical imaging market. The CAD software automatically highlights suspicious areas on computerised tomography (CT) scans of the colon and lung, helping radiologists to identify, measure and analyse potential disease and early indicators of disease. Medicsight's CAD software has been validated using one of the world's largest and most population diverse databases of verified patient CT scan data. Medicsight's ColonCAD(TM) and LungCAD(TM) software products are seamlessly integrated with the advanced 3D visualisation workstations of several industry-leading imaging equipment partners.

Medicexchange PLC provides medical imaging professionals with a global web portal containing an online sales, jobs and information channel for diagnostic, treatment and surgery planning solutions. This combined with a variety of relevant clinical papers, training materials and content gives these professionals access to information and products that they otherwise would have difficulty accessing.

Additional information can be found at http://www.mgtci.com.

All forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current management expectations that involve risks and uncertainties that may result in such expectations not being realized. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks described in company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

MGT Capital Investments, Inc.
http://www.mgtci.com