RSNA: Toshiba debuts new MR, ultrasound systems
Toshiba’s showcase at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago Nov. 27 to Dec. 2 included its new Vantage Titan 1.5T MR series and Aplio 300 and 500 ultrasound systems. Rounding out its lineup of new offerings were its Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction 3D (AIDR 3D) software, and Dual Energy and Myocardial Perfusion functional-CT applications.

1.5T MR series

Toshiba debuted its Vantage Titan 1.5T MR series, stating that it adds 8-channel (works-in-progress) and 32-channel (also a works in progress) upgrade capabilities to its current 16-channel offering. The company is touting the series as a scalable workhorse with high slew-rate gradients and patient-friendly features. These include noise reduction, integrated coils and a 71-centimeter bore, along with soft exterior lighting and a transport gurney for critical-care patients.

Aplio ultrasounds

The company lifted the curtain on its Aplio 300 and 500 ultrasound systems, demoing both and announcing that they have been 510(k) cleared.

The Aplio 300 is intended for routine OB/GYN, cardiac and radiology sonograms. Toshiba is selling it with several standard features, including a training program, differential tissue harmonics for uniform imaging across the field and the company’s iStyle productivity suite.

The Aplio 500 is a beefed-up model, adding such features as the company’s Fly Thru and Smart Fusion innovations. The former allows for 3D exams of vessels and ducts from inside the structures, scope-like and enables storage of flights as movie clips for later review. The latter syncs previously acquired CT images with real-time ultrasound images to aid in biopsies and difficult localizations of masses. It also comes with tools for advanced visualization that the 300 lacks.

Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction 3D

After obtaining 510(k) clearance for AIDR 3D, Toshiba will offer the software with CT systems in its Aquilion line. Toshiba said that, by applying a sophisticated algorithm in both the raw-data space and the image-data space, the product can reduce noise while maintaining image quality.

Toshiba noted that the software has been integrated with its SureExposure 3D software, which calculates the minimum radiation exposure required for each unique exam.
Functional CT apps

Toshiba also displayed two works-in-progress applications to enable functional CT—Dual Energy and Myocardial Perfusion. The applications work with the company’s Aquilion line of CT systems

Dual Energy uses two energy levels to increase the amount of information available from CT imaging. It changes kilovolts and milliamperes in mid-scan and deactivates the x-ray at the anterior section of the body, reducing overall radiation dose to sensitive areas, according to Toshiba.

The company said its myocardial perfusion app can image blood flow and identify ischemia with less radiation than PET/CT and SPECT imaging.

 

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