News | Press Releases

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November 22, 2004

TOSHIBA INSTALLS THE NEW KALARE™ DIGITAL X-RAY SYSTEM AT ZALE LIPSHY

New Versatile, Efficient System Expands General R&F Capabilities and Eases Clinical Exams at University Hospital

RSNA Booth #7149 (North Building, Hall B)

TUSTIN, Calif., Nov. 22, 2004 – Offering new diagnostic imaging technology to improve the quality of life for patient and clinicians, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. (TAMS) today announced the completion of its first Kalare^TM installation in the United States at the Zale Lipshy University Hospital, located on the campus of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.  The Kalare is Toshiba’s new feature-rich digital X-ray system designed to enhance productivity and clinical outcomes at a value-oriented price.

The new Kalare will be exhibited for the first time for healthcare professionals at the 90th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

“With the first installation of the Kalare at Zale Lipshy, Toshiba is bringing to life our ‘one system’ approach to clinical and productivity improvement for our customers,” said Don Volz, director, X-ray Business Unit, Toshiba.  “The Kalare’s flexible digital system not only provides excellent support for R&F and interventional radiology but also facilitates ease-of-use and comfort for more patient-focused exams.”

“In only a few weeks, the Toshiba Kalare has already proven its value by enabling a wide range of clinical exams, streamlining our procedures, and accommodating our patients,” said Mary Ann Mullican, M.D., Associate Professor of Radiology, UT Southwestern, and Medical Director of Radiology, Zale Lipshy University Hospital.  “In particular, the Kalare’s table weight limit has made it much easier for our bariatric surgery group to conduct examinations on large patients.  Working with Toshiba, we were able to suggest user features and design changes, such as the larger capacity table, a more compact in-room console, and widening distances between the tabletop to the fluoroscopy unit, which has helped us to work more efficiently and concentrate on delivering proper care to our patients.”

The New Feature-Rich Kalare System
Kalare expands general R&F and interventional radiology capabilities and helps staff perform more exams with ease, comfort and speed.  Its feature-rich, comprehensive configuration positively impacts productivity, resource allocation, asset utilization and clinical outcomes.

Features include the latest EPS-Plus Digital Imaging System to improve productivity and connectivity.  The all-digital processing system shortens exam times and reduces the costs of film, handling and storage associated with conventional radiography.  The system also increases access to fluoroscopic and radiographic images and speeds critical information to the point-of-care.

Kalare’s flexible digital system provides excellent support for gastrointestinal exams, ERCP, myelography, venography, nonvascular interventional radiography, and with the EPS-Plus digital fluorography unit, abdominal and peripheral angiography studies.

Additionally, the Kalare effectively reduces dose to a minimum practical level without compromising image quality. The system employs a full range of features that can reduce dose by more than 75 percent compared to continuous fluoroscopy.  One of the dose features is the GRID-pulsed fluoroscopy that sharpens the waveform to maximize pulse efficiency and allows the selection of the most suitable mode of pulsed fluoroscopy to minimize exposure dose.

On the user control side, the Kalare features state-of-the-art tableside controls for more patient-focused exams, and a universal table configuration with proven reliability.  Its true, one-hand operation and power-assisted control of the image intensifier and exposure functions improves productivity on every exam with the ability to manipulate the table position, control field size of the image intensifier and X-ray collimation setting, and perform image processing and playback.   Additionally, the easy-to-view, color, LCD touch panel allows complete control of system functions at tableside, including assigning processes permitting setting generator parameters and controlling and changing patient dose modes.

For more information about the Kalare digital X-ray system, TAMS and its wide range of medical imaging products, please visit www.medical.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba
With headquarters in Tustin, Calif., Toshiba America Medical Systems markets, sells, distributes and services diagnostic imaging systems, and coordinates clinical diagnostic imaging research for all modalities in the United States.  Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, an independent group company of Toshiba Corporation, is a global leading provider of diagnostic medical imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, MRI and information systems.  Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems.  Toshiba has 161,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of more than $53 billion.

Kalare^TM is a trademark of Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation.