RSNA: Toshiba enters handheld ultrasound market
Toshiba America Medical Systems introduced the Viamo laptop ultrasound system as a work in progress at the 2009 Radiological Society of North America annual meeting in Chicago last week.
Cassie Beck Murvay, Toshiba’s ultrasound product manager, noted that the company built the Viamo on the same platform as its larger, flagship Artida ultrasound product, as opposed to designing the Viamo for a niche market. “We wanted to ensure to design a system that can be used as a second system for all aspects of radiology,” she said.
As a result, the portable system can be used in a variety of patient exams, including traditional radiology, pediatric, emergency, OB/GYN, vascular and bariatric.
Also, the Viamo has slim-connecter transducers that are specific to the laptop, explained Murvay, but also allows Toshiba customers to interchange them with the existing transducers.
The system, which is pending 510(k) clearance, has a 15-key touch-screen interface that is programmable in panel or tablet modes. Murvay said that the Viamo’s touch commands also have “same look and feel of the Artida, as well as the same high-end technologies, specifically the advanced dynamic flow.”
Cassie Beck Murvay, Toshiba’s ultrasound product manager, noted that the company built the Viamo on the same platform as its larger, flagship Artida ultrasound product, as opposed to designing the Viamo for a niche market. “We wanted to ensure to design a system that can be used as a second system for all aspects of radiology,” she said.
As a result, the portable system can be used in a variety of patient exams, including traditional radiology, pediatric, emergency, OB/GYN, vascular and bariatric.
Also, the Viamo has slim-connecter transducers that are specific to the laptop, explained Murvay, but also allows Toshiba customers to interchange them with the existing transducers.
The system, which is pending 510(k) clearance, has a 15-key touch-screen interface that is programmable in panel or tablet modes. Murvay said that the Viamo’s touch commands also have “same look and feel of the Artida, as well as the same high-end technologies, specifically the advanced dynamic flow.”