Toshiba announces Opart upgrades
Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. released Version 5.0 software package upgrade and a central processing unit (CPU) upgrade program for Opart, a cryogenless, mid-field (0.35T) open-MR system.

The enhancements expand the system's pulse sequence capabilities and provide significant improvement in image processing speed, Toshiba said.

The upgrades have been packaged into four categories:
  • Basic Package: Includes basic pulse sequences with FAS (fast advanced spin echo) and 3D Swirl Encoding for imaging flow artifact.
  • MR Angiography (MRA) Package: Includes 3D TOF (time-of-flight) MRA providing new Sliding Slab option, 2D/3D TOF MRA with Flow Averaging, and segmented and gated 2D TOF for carotid artery or peripheral vessel imaging.
  • Orthopedic Package: Includes the new Water Fat Separation options of Duo and Tri - enabling users to either gain signal-to-noise ratio or reduce the acquisition time, Extended Fast Spin Echo sequences for high resolution imaging, and SST2 (Steady State T2) for heavily weighted T2 image.
  • Advanced Neurological Package: Includes brain imaging enhancements with improved Spin-Echo (SE) Diffusion and Perfusion imaging, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) mapping and new Line Scan Diffusion, which provides more robust imaging against undesired patient movements than conventional SE DWI (Spin-Echo Diffusion-Weighted Imaging). It also includes new SSFP (Steady State Free Precession) for superior CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) contrast spine imaging with high signal-to-noise ratio.
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