MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 27, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Images, Inc. (Nasdaq:VTAL), a leading provider of advanced visualization and analysis software, has been selected as the Minnie Award recipient for the Best New Radiology Software for the Company's Vitrea(R) Enterprise Suite. Now in its tenth year, the Minnies is an annual event recognizing excellence in radiology hosted by AuntMinnie.com, the leading online community for medical imaging professionals.

"Vital Images has been a pioneer of advanced visualization software in medical imaging for many years," said Brian Casey, editor in chief of AuntMinnie.com. "We're pleased to present them with this Minnie award, which signifies the high regard that radiology professionals have for their technology."

"Vital Images is honored to be recognized by AuntMinnie editors and radiology thought leaders as developing the Best New Radiology Software for 2009," said Michael H. Carrel, president and chief executive officer of Vital Images. "Vitrea Enterprise Suite is the embodiment of our longtime commitment to technology innovation in service to our physician customers, delivering to them the most accessible, clinically relevant, patient-focused, easy to use, and enterprise-enabled solution on the market. To receive recognition reflecting this is truly rewarding."

Minnies candidates are nominated by AuntMinnie.com members in September of each year. Semifinalists and finalists are selected through a vote by AuntMinnie's expert panel of AuntMinnie editors and radiology professionals. The 2009 edition of the Minnies featured 137 candidates in 13 categories, ranging from Most Influential Radiology Researcher to Best New Radiology Vendor.

AuntMinnie provides a forum for radiologists, business managers, technologists, members of organized medicine, and industry to meet, transact, research, and collaborate on topics within the field of radiology with the ease and speed that only the Internet can provide.

About Vital Images, Inc.

Vital Images, Inc., established in 1988 and headquartered in Minneapolis, is a leading provider of advanced visualization software solutions. The company's technology gives radiologists, cardiologists, oncologists and other medical specialists, time-saving productivity and communications tools that can be accessed throughout the enterprise and via the Web for easy use in the day-to-day practice of medicine. Vital Images also has offices in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.vitalimages.com.

The Vital Images, Inc.