Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. (TAMS) this week introduced the Famio ultrasound system, scaled for physician offices. The system includes a Digital Continuous Beam Former and Tissue Harmonic Imaging and is designed for 'plug-and-play' use.  

"Physician offices have unique ultrasound imaging needs. They want quality gray-scale imaging for effective diagnosis, and they need a compact unit that's mobile and easy-to-use," said Gordon Parhar, director, Ultrasound Business Unit at Toshiba in a release. "Famio was specifically designed for the physician office market to ensure that image quality and accurate diagnosis are not compromised due to size and affordability."
   
Key features of the Famio include:

• Digital Continuous Beam Former:  A precise beam that minimizes side lobes in both the near and far field, for improved image clarity, spatial and contrast resolution, and delivering advanced image resolution;  
• Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI): A technology providing contrast resolution and reducing artifacts;  
• The ability to store image data on the integrated hard disk or CD-R;
• Unconverted stills and cine loops from the image memory also can be stored the same way with Famio's DirectCine access, allowing post measurement and off-line zoom;  
• The system also allows reports to be printed directly to a PC printer; and
• Famio is DICOM compliant enabling data transfer to other healthcare systems.