Vital Images Signs New Agreement With Existing Partner E-Z-EM for Virtual Colonoscopy Applications

Vital Images Signs New Agreement With Existing Partner E-Z-EM for
Virtual Colonoscopy Applications
Companies Will Continue to Co-Develop and Market InnerviewGI(TM) for Early
Colon Cancer Detection 


MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 3  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vital Images, Inc.
(NASDAQ:VTAL), a medical imaging software company, has signed a new agreement
with existing partner E-Z-EM, Inc. (AMEX:EZM), the leader in conventional
colonoscopy contrast agents and disposables. Since 2001, E-Z-EM has distributed
Vital Images' virtual colonoscopy software visualization product for the early
detection of colon cancer under the name InnerviewGI(TM), and Vital Images has
sold the same product as an option on its Vitrea(R) 2 software. Under the new
alliance, E-Z-EM will continue to market the InnerviewGI brand to its core
customer base and to host educational seminars training physicians for virtual
colonoscopies using InnerviewGI, but will not sell the product. Instead, E-Z-EM
will refer all sales leads to Vital Images, which will rebrand its CT colon
option as InnerviewGI. In addition, E-Z-EM will receive a royalty from future
sales of InnerviewGI and will continue to share development costs for the
product.

"We are pleased and excited about our revised agreement with E-Z-EM and
anticipate increasing market share in the fast-growing colon screening market,"
said Jay Miller, Vital Images president and chief executive officer. "This
relationship is beneficial for both companies and builds on our respective
strengths. We are able to work with a premier company in the colonoscopy market
to better understand and develop tools for use in virtual colonoscopy
applications."

Anthony A. Lombardo, E-Z-EM's president and chief executive officer, said,
"Vital Images has been an excellent partner, and we are looking forward to
continued collaboration. Virtual colonoscopy is becoming an increasingly
important tool in the fight against colon cancer by encouraging more people to
be screened for pre-cancerous polyps at an earlier, more treatable stage."

Virtual colonoscopy, or CT colonography, is a far more patient-friendly
procedure than traditional optical colonoscopy. Recent studies indicate that
with proper training, virtual colonoscopies are just as effective at
discovering pre-cancerous polyps as traditional colonoscopies, but with much
less patient discomfort and potentially at a lower cost. Clinical outcomes will
continue to improve as new CT technology replaces old technology, software
continues to evolve, virtual colonoscopy bowel prep improves and physicians
gain more training and experience.

About E-Z-EM, Inc.

E-Z-EM is a leading manufacturer of contrast agents for gastrointestinal
radiology.  The company has developed the only CT injector on the market that
can help detect contrast extravasation, the EmpowerCT(R) with patented EDA(TM)
technology; it also offers a complete product set for the virtual colonoscopy
practitioner.  This product line consists of virtual colonoscopy hardware,
software, nutritional prep kits and bowel cleaners, tagging agents and a carbon
dioxide colon insufflation system.

About Vital Images, Inc.

Vital Images is a leading provider of 3D imaging software for use in disease
screening applications, clinical diagnosis and therapy planning. The company's
technology utilizes high-speed volume visualization and analysis, as well as
network communications based on DICOM and Internet protocols. Vital Images cost
effectively brings 3D visualization and analysis into the day-to- day practice
of medicine. Press releases, examples of 3D medical imaging and other corporate
information are available on Vital Images' Web site at
http://www.vitalimages.com/ .

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed
in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and
uncertainties which could cause results to differ materially from those
projected, including dependence on market growth, the timely availability and
acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing,
dependence on major customers, fluctuations in quarterly results, third-party
reimbursement, the availability of capital and other risks detailed from time
to time in Vital Images' SEC reports, including its most recent report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, and its Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2004.

  Vitrea(R) is a registered trademark of Vital Images, Inc.
  InnerviewGI(TM) is a registered trademark of E-Z-EM, Inc.


Vital Images disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of
others. 

Website:  http://www.vitalimages.com 

DATASOURCE: Vital Images, Inc.



CONTACT:  Gregory S. Furness, Chief Financial Officer of Vital Images,

Inc., [phone]; or Nancy A. Johnson, [phone],

 , or Marian Briggs, [phone],  ,

both of Padilla Speer Beardsley

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