News | Press Releases

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July 6, 2009

HUNTINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IS FIRST IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO INSTALL TOSHIBA’S Aquilion ONE DYNAMIC VOLUME CT SYSTEM

World’s First Dynamic Volume CT Will Improve Workflow in High-Volume ER While Providing More Accurate and Safer Diagnostic Imaging for Stroke, Cardiac and Pediatric Patients

PASADENA, CA — July 6, 2009 — To meet the growing needs of its high-volume emergency department (ED), Huntington Memorial Hospital has acquired Toshiba’s Aquilion® ONE dynamic volume CT system. As the first dynamic volume CT in Southern California, Huntington Hospital will use the advanced CT system to support the new emergency department, which is currently under expansion. The Aquilion ONE will also serve the hospital’s general radiology, cardiology, neurology and pediatric patients.

Developed by Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, the Aquilion ONE is the world’s first dynamic volume CT and the only medical imaging system to image the entire brain or heart in a single gantry rotation and as fast as .35 seconds. It is also the only system to show 4D dynamic movement, such as real-time brain function or a heart beating. In addition to its unparalleled imaging capabilities, the Aquilion ONE is safer for patients by providing less contrast and lower radiation dose.

“The Aquilion ONE’s uniquely comprehensive exam will reduce the diagnosis time for patients suffering from life-threatening conditions, like chest pain and stroke,” says Dr. Christopher G. Hedley, medical director of radiology. “Its ability to show real-time organ function, image patients quickly and perform multiple tests will improve patient care by empowering us to make a more accurate diagnosis faster than ever before.”

Designed to accommodate 30,000 patient visits per year, Huntington Hospital’s emergency department actually sees more than 60,000 patients — including 17,000 children. To address this pressing need, Huntington is doubling the size of the ED to serve 80,000–90,000 patients per year. Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE will improve workflow and departmental efficiency by providing a single comprehensive scan within seconds for patients with life-threatening injuries.

In addition to the ED, Huntington Hospital will use the Aquilion ONE to image non-emergency radiology, neurology, cardiology and pediatric patients. Using 320-ultra high resolution detector rows, the Aquilion ONE can image up to 16 cm of anatomical coverage, enough to image an entire organ, like the brain or heart. For patients suffering from a stroke, imaging the entire brain can show the exact location of the stroke within minutes rather than hours or days. This timetable is critical in treating patients quickly to prevent further brain damage. For cardiac patients, imaging the entire heart in less than a single heart beat provides more diagnostic confidence and makes it easier to image patients with cardiac abnormalities, such as arrhythmia.

Introduced in November 2007, the dynamic volume CT scans an entire organ in a single pass and produces 4D videos that show an organ’s structure, its movement and blood flow. In comparison, a 64-slice, 128-slice or 256-slice CT scan can only capture a portion of an organ in a single pass, requiring physicians to “stitch together” multiple scans of an organ to get a full image. The new technology helps reduce multiple exposures to radiation and exam time.

“The Aquilion ONE is designed to handle high-volume emergency settings, as well as the everyday radiology needs of hospitals,” said Doug Ryan, senior director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba. “The Aquilion ONE’s ability to replace multiple tests, increase diagnostic confidence and reduce exam time while lowering radiation dose will improve workflow and patient care at Huntington Memorial Hospital, while helping to lower healthcare costs.”

About Huntington Hospital

Huntington Hospital is a 636-bed not-for-profit hospital that is home to the only trauma center in the San Gabriel Valley. Renowned for its programs in cancer care, neurosciences and cardiovascular services, Huntington is an active teaching hospital with a Graduate Medical Education program with tracks in internal medicine and general surgery. The hospital has a regional neonatal intensive care unit, treating babies with the highest acuity. Consistent with its mission, Huntington provides millions of dollars in charity care, benefits for vulnerable populations, health research, education and training. It supports programs that may otherwise be absent from the community, including geriatric psychiatric services, children’s asthma management and diabetes workshops in English and Spanish.

About Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE

The Aquilion® ONE, the world’s first dynamic volume CT, utilizes 320 ultra-high resolution detector rows to image an entire organ in a single gantry rotation and shows dynamic function like blood flow. Since its introduction in November 2007, the Aquilion ONE has been named Popular Science magazine’s “Best of What’s New 2008 — Personal Health Category,” rt Image‘s 2008 Most Valuable Product (MVP), Frost & Sullivan’s Global CT Systems Product Differentiation Innovation Award 2007, AuntMinnie.com’s “Minnies 2008 — Best New Radiology Device” and Medical Design Excellence Award Winner in 2009.

About Toshiba’s Aquilion CT Product Line Recognition

The Aquilion® CT product line has received numerous accolades including the number one ranking in CT from MD Buyline since 2002 (six consecutive years). The Aquilion CT line has also been named Best in KLAS in 2006 and 2007; Best in KLAS in 2008 for 64-detector row and above; and Frost & Sullivan’s “Healthcare Innovation Award in Cardiovascular Imaging” in 2008. (For more information about KLAS, visit www.KLASresearch.com). Most recently, Toshiba’s service for the Aquilion line was ranked number one in 21 out of 34 ServiceTrak Imaging’s 2008 report on CT system service.

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, MRI and information systems. Toshiba Corp. is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. Toshiba has approximately 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of $77 billion. For more information, visit www.medical.toshiba.com.