Imatron lands Malaysian CT order

Imatron has won an order for five of its ultrafast CT scanners from a medical investment group in Malaysia in an agreement that is worth $13 million over the next two-and-a-half years to the South San Francisco, CA, company. The Malaysian group is called Heart Scan Malaysia, but is unaffiliated with Imatron or its HeartScan Imaging subsidiary. Heart Scan Malaysia intends to develop a network of ultrafast CT centers in the country to provide cardiac diagnostic services.

In other Imatron news, the company last month reported 1996 year-end financial results (end-December) that included a net loss of $10.5 million on revenues of $25.8 million. That compares with a net loss of $2.4 million on revenues of $26.7 million in 1995.

Imatron said its year-end loss included $4.6 million in losses associated with HeartScan Imaging, of which Imatron owns 49.5%. Imatron also reported that shipments for the first quarter of 1997 are up 33% over the same period last year.

Finally, Imatron reported this month that Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center of Chicago has opened Rush Heart Scan, a new coronary heart disease diagnosis and treatment facility that is using an ultrafast CT scanner. Rush Heart Scan is not affiliated with Imatron's HeartScan Imaging subsidiary.