News | Press Releases

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November 26, 2007

TOSHIBA INTRODUCES NEW VANTAGE TITAN MR SYSTEM AT RSNA

Vantage Titan Improves Patient Care with Large Bore, Reduced Noise and Extended Field-of-View with Increased Homogeneity

CHICAGO — November 26, 2007 — Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., an industry leader in magnetic resonance (MR) technology, will preview the Vantage Titan™ MR system as a works-in-progress at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in Chicago, Nov. 25–30, 2007 (Booth # 7130). The new open-bore of the 1.5T Vantage Titan MR system is 18 percent larger than other 1.5T systems on the market and features a large 71-centimeter patient aperture, outstanding homogeneity, and the largest available clinical field-of-view (FOV) of 55 x 55 x 50 centimeters, providing the highest level of patient care and diagnostic capability in MR imaging.

“The Toshiba Vantage Titan is a dramatic improvement over traditional open-bore 1.5T MR systems, as it offers the largest and widest bore available with a significant reduction in noise,” said Bob Giegerich, director, MR Business Unit, Toshiba. “The Vantage Titan’s large clinical FOV is unique for this bore size and produces high-quality images without compromising homogeneity or overall imaging performance. In addition, the Vantage Titan’s bore size offers more space for patients inside the machine and limits MR acoustic noise using Toshiba’s patented Pianissimo™ technology, which creates a better imaging experience for all patients, especially those with claustrophobia.”

The Vantage Titan will be one of the most powerful MR units available with a 30/130 gradient platform. It also has a guaranteed homogeneity specification of two parts per million over a 50 x 50 x 50 cm DSV and a 1.4-meter magnet length, producing exceptional image quality.

The Vantage Titan’s patient-focused features significantly improve patient comfort and increase the range of patients who can be imaged with MR. The open bore provides a greater feeling of openness for the patient, and Toshiba’s patented Pianissimo technology dramatically reduces acoustic noise, the most significant cause of patient discomfort during an MR exam.

Owners of Toshiba EXCELART Vantage™ and Toshiba EXCELART Vantage powered by Atlas™ systems can easily upgrade to the Vantage Titan’s 71-centimeter bore and extended FOV without any compromise in homogeneity.

The Vantage Titan MR system also takes advantage of Toshiba’s proprietary, contrast-free MRA techniques – Fresh Blood Imaging (FBI), Contrast-free Improved Angiography (CIA) and Time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse (Time-SLIP). Contrast-free imaging is particularly important because gadolinium, the most common contrast agent used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) exams, has been directly linked to a sometimes fatal disease that occurs in patients with renal insufficiency, called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NFD).

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 Corp., an independent group company of Toshiba Corp., is a global leading provider of diagnostic medical imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, Cath & EP Labs, X-ray, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, MRI and information systems. Toshiba Corp. is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. Toshiba has approximately 191,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of $60 billion. For more information, visit www.medical.toshiba.com.

EXCELART Vantage, Vantage Titan and Pianissimo are trademarks of Toshiba Medical