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InSightec Encourages Uterine Fibroid Sufferers to Ask Their Doctors About Less Invasive Treatment Options

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070514/ukm007.html?.v=101

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Monday May 14, 8:01 am ET

MR Guided Focused Ultrasound Offers Non-Invasive Alternative to Hysterectomy and Myomectomy

HAIFA, Israel, May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- InSightec Ltd. wants women suffering from uterine fibroids to know all their treatment options.

"Many women suffer from uterine fibroid symptoms for years because they fear or want to avoid hysterectomies that could not only have a permanent impact on their health, but require them to take weeks off from their jobs and families for recovery," said Phyllis J. Gee, MD, FACOG, and Director of North Texas Uterine Fibroid Institute. "Women have other options including focused ultrasound treatment with the ExAblate® system which is completely non-invasive and allows the patient to return home the same day and get back to her normal activities. We want women with uterine fibroids to know their options - and realize that invasive surgery isn't the only answer for symptom relief."

In honor of Mother's Day and Women's Health Week (May 13-19, 2007), InSightec and the U.S. sites that offer the ExAblate procedure are encouraging women suffering from the bleeding, anemia and abdominal pain associated with uterine fibroids to come in for a consultation to determine if they are eligible for the procedure.

"Uterine fibroid patients don't need to continue to suffer because they fear invasive treatments," said Dr. Kobi Vortman, President and CEO of InSightec. "We hope women throughout the U.S. use the National Women's Health Week to take time for themselves, visit their doctors and to learn about all their options when it comes to leading the healthiest lives possible."

Approximately 600,000 American women undergo hysterectomies each year and fibroids are the leading cause. When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the ExAblate system in 2004, it became - and remains today - the only non-invasive treatment for women suffering symptoms of these non-cancerous tumors in the uterus. To perform focused ultrasound, a physician uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to visualize tissue in the body, plan and monitor the treatment and then aims high-intensity focused ultrasound energy at the fibroid to destroy it. This process alleviates the painful symptoms of uterine fibroids while allowing a woman to retain her uterus.

To date 3,000 women have undergone the treatment worldwide.

For more information patients can call 1-866-ExAblate (1-866-392-2528). A list of all the sites offering the non-invasive procedure is available at www.uterine-fibroids.org.

About National Women's Health Week

National Women's Health Week is a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health that calls attention to the importance of women's health. During the week, families, health organizations, businesses, communities, the government and individuals come together to raise awareness about women's health issues and educate women about simple steps they can take for a longer, healthier and happier life. The theme for National Women's Health Week 2007 is "It's Your Time: Pamper Your Mind, Body and Spirit."

National Women's Health Week kicks off on Mother's Day, May 13, and will be celebrated until May 19, 2007. National Women's Check-up Day - a day where women across the country are urged to visit their doctor - will be held on May 14, 2007. For more information about National Women's Health Week, please visit www.womenshealth.gov/whw.

About ExAblate® 2000

The ExAblate 2000 is the first system to use the breakthrough MRgFUS technology that combines MRI - to visualize tissues in the body, plan the treatment and monitor in real time treatment outcome - and high intensity focused ultrasound to thermally ablate uterine fibroid tissue. MR thermal feedback, provided uniquely by the system, allows the physician to control and adjust the treatment in real time to ensure that the targeted tumor is fully treated and surrounding tissue is spared. ExAblate received FDA approval for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids in October 2004. ExAblate has been recognized for its innovation and potential to serve mankind and has been awarded the 2004 European Union's Information Society Technologies grand prize, The Wall Street Journal's 2004 Technology Innovation Awards, Advanced Imaging's 2005 Solutions of the Year, and most recently, the Red Herring 100 Europe 2007 Award.

Uterine fibroids are benign growths in the uterus that up to 30% of women of childbearing age. Symptomatic women suffer from extensive and prolonged menstrual bleeding, anemia, pain, pressure and often infertility. Existing treatment options include hysterectomy, myomectomy and uterine artery embolization and are invasive, involving hospitalization and several weeks of recovery time. ExAblate is an outpatient procedure and patients return home the same day and to work within one to two days.

About InSightec

InSightec Ltd. is a privately held company owned by Elbit Medical Imaging (EMI), General Electric, MediTech Advisors, LLC and employees. It was founded in 1999 to develop the breakthrough MR guided Focused Ultrasound technology and transform it into the next generation operating room. Headquartered near Haifa, Israel, the company has over 135 employees and has invested more than $100 million in research, development, and clinical investigations. Its U.S. headquarters are located in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please go to: http://www.insightec.com/
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