New DTMI Standard is Adopted by Leading Oncology Vendors

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMPC), a leading provider of information technology solutions for oncology care, announced today that the DICOM-RT Treatment Machine interface (DTMI) standard will be a critical component of the Proton Therapy Center at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The DTMI will be used to connect IMPAC's oncology management system with Hitachi's Proton Beam Therapy System.

The DTMI standard is being developed specifically for radiation oncology to allow effortless transmittal of data and images between the various systems and devices required in radiation therapy. This industry-standard, open- systems solution will provide customers with seamless connectivity of next generation devices, such as Hitachi's Proton Beam Therapy System, to IMPAC's image-enabled oncology chart, facilitating and streamlining clinical workflow in the radiation oncology environment.

"The benefits of DICOM compliance have been clearly demonstrated in radiology and other medical specialties for years. Customers selecting DICOM compliant devices experience first hand how quickly and seamlessly these devices fit into their existing DICOM environments. Since Hitachi's technology will be part of a mainstream oncology program, we're pleased that they also see the benefits of standardization. The Proton Therapy Center marks the first implementation of the new standard," stated Joseph K. Jachinowski, president and CEO of IMPAC. There are currently four major oncology vendors committed to adopting this standard protocol.

The Proton Beam Therapy Center is currently under construction at M. D. Anderson, a cancer center devoted exclusively to patient care, research, education and prevention, located in Houston.

"We purchase devices from many manufacturers and seek the most sophisticated level of integration to satisfy our clinical goals for delivering the highest quality patient care in an efficient manner. The projects we undertake are typically very complex and having our vendors comply with and, in this case set, standards assists M. D. Anderson to remain at the forefront of cancer therapy technologies," stated James Cox, M.D., head of the division of radiation oncology at M. D. Anderson.

About IMPAC Medical Systems

IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of oncology IT solutions that streamline both clinical and business operations to help improve the process of delivering quality patient care. With open integration to multiple healthcare data and imaging systems, IMPAC offers a comprehensive IT solution that includes specialized electronic charting, full-featured practice management, clinical laboratory management, an anatomic pathology system, and outcomes reporting. Supporting over 2500 installations worldwide, IMPAC delivers practical solutions that deliver better overall communication, process efficiency and quality patient care. For more information about IMPAC Medical Systems' products and services, please call 650-623-8800 or visit www.impac.com.

About M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, located in Houston, was designated by the National Cancer Institute as one of the first three Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States. The facility is ranked as the nation's top cancer hospital in the current issue of U.S. News and World Report in the "America's Best Hospitals" survey, and has consistently ranked in the top two since the magazine began ranking in 1990. M. D. Anderson has provided care for more than 520,000 cancer patients since 1944.

About Hitachi

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 326,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2003 (ended March 31, 2004) consolidated sales totaled 8,632.4 billion yen ($81.4 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.hitachi.com.

For more information, please contact:
Julie DeSantis
Public Relations Manager
IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc.
650-623-8883
pr@impac.com

SOURCE IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc.

Web site: http://www.impac.com