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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000950123-09-064244.txt : 20100308
<SEC-HEADER>0000950123-09-064244.hdr.sgml : 20100308
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20091119134449
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000950123-09-064244
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20091119

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN SHARED HOSPITAL SERVICES
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000744825
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-MEDICAL LABORATORIES [8071]
		IRS NUMBER:				942918118
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			CA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		FOUR EMBARCADERO CENTER
		STREET 2:		SUITE 3700
		CITY:			SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94111-4107
		BUSINESS PHONE:		415-788-5300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		FOUR EMBARCADERO CENTER
		STREET 2:		SUITE 3700
		CITY:			SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94111-4107
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>
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<HEAD>
<TITLE>corresp</TITLE>
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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">


<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt">November&nbsp;17, 2009
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">Securities and Exchange Commission<br>
100 F Street, NE<BR>
Washington, DC 20549
</DIV>

<DIV align="center">
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="97%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px"><U>Attn</U>:
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Yolanda Guobadia</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Division of Corporation Finance</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">(EDGAR Correspondence)</TD>
</TR>
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</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="97%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<B>Re:</B>
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top"><B>American Shared Hospital Services</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top"><B>File No.&nbsp;001-08789</B></TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">Ladies and Gentlemen:
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have received the Staff&#146;s letter dated November&nbsp;10, 2009 with two comments on American
Shared Hospital Services&#146; quarterly filings on Form 10-Q. Our counsel has spoken with Ms.&nbsp;Yolanda
Guobadia on the Staff about the information set forth below.
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In response to the Staff&#146;s first comment, we have changed the presentation of our Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows in our Form 10-Q for the period ended September&nbsp;30, 2009 (&#147;Third Quarter
10Q&#148;), which was filed today. We also provided additional disclosure in the Third Quarter 10Q about
the matters described in the Staff&#146;s second comment. However, in order to properly respond to the
second comment, we must involve third parties and our outside auditors. Accordingly, we will need
additional time to respond and propose to submit our reply no later than December&nbsp;8, 2009.
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Please feel free to contact either the undersigned or Dan Kelly of Davis Polk &#038; Wardwell
(650-752-2001) if you have any questions.
</DIV>


<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="48%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="35%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
    <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left">Sincerely,<BR>
&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000" align="left">/s/ Ernest A. Bates, M.D.
&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left">Ernest A. Bates, M.D.&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left">Chairman and CEO&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
    <TD colspan="5">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><!-- Folio --><!-- /Folio -->
</DIV>



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