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November 30, 2009

TOSHIBA SHOWCASES AQUILION ONE’S PEDIATRIC IMAGING CAPABILITIES

System’s Features Reduce Radiation and Sedation Dose for Pediatric Patients

CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2009 – With smaller vessels, lower bone density and less body fat, pediatric patients have different imaging needs than adults. Pediatric patients frequently have difficulty holding their breath or staying still during a scan, creating the need for CT technology tailored for their needs.

Understanding the importance of technology designed for the pediatric market, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.’s Aquilion® ONE 320-detector row CT system is ideal for pediatric imaging. Its ability to capture up to 16 cm in a single rotation reduces the amount of radiation a patient receives and lessens the need for sedation. Toshiba will feature the Aquilion ONE at this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, held in Chicago, Nov. 29 – Dec. 4 (Booth #5629, South Hall).

Arkansas Children’s Hospital was the first pediatric hospital to install the Aquilion ONE. “Any type of exam can be frightening for children, so the Aquilion ONE’s ability to reduce radiation and sedation is a tremendous benefit to our patients,” said Cindy Holland, vice president, Ancillary Services, Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “The Aquilion ONE has been beneficial in multiple settings at our facility, including cardiology, orthopedics and neurology.”

Traditionally, when children are imaged using multi-detector CT, sedation is frequently required to keep the patient still long enough to obtain a clear diagnostic image. The Aquilion ONE captures up to 16 cm of anatomy in one rotation, consequently less patient sedation is required.

The volume acquisition mode of the Aquilion ONE exposes patients to less radiation, providing safer pediatric exams. The Aquilion ONE also features Toshiba’s ^SUREExposure™ Pediatric software, which automatically takes inputs on the size and age of each patient and tailors radiation dose to achieve the best and safest image quality for each exam. The software uses protocols selected based on the patient’s age and size, and type of exam to ensure patients receive only the radiation required to obtain a clear diagnostic image. ^SUREExposure Pediatric software comes standard on all Aquilion products.

In addition to ^SUREExposure Pediatric, the Aquilion ONE is available with a Pediatric Kit that includes child-friendly accessories and features, including:

• iStation, an audio-visual instructional tool to help children maintain breath-hold during exams by displaying animated movies specially designed to teach them when to hold their breath and relax them during the exam
• Colorful designs and images on the Aquilion ONE’s exterior, creating a more visually compelling and child-friendly looking system
• Pediatric accessories such as child-size table straps and infant cushion to provide a stable, comfortable exam for pediatric patients of all sizes
• A smaller replica of the Aquilion ONE allowing children to interact with the CT to understand more about the imaging process and alleviate fear about the exam

“Toshiba recognizes that children have different imaging needs than adults and that limiting radiation and sedation is crucial for safe pediatric exams,” said Doug Ryan, senior director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba. “We developed the Aquilion ONE and ^SUREExposure Pediatric to guarantee the best care is provided to all patients, no matter the size.”

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 Gold 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 (seven consecutive years). The Aquilion CT line has also been named Best in KLAS in the Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards reports for 2006 and 2007 for CT; Best in KLAS in the Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards reports for 2008 and 2009 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 in ServiceTrak Imaging’s 2008 report on CT system service.

About Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric medical center in Arkansas and one of the largest in the United States serving children from birth to age 21. The campus spans 29 city blocks and houses 316 beds, a staff of approximately 500 physicians, 80 residents in pediatrics and pediatric specialties and more than 4,200 employees. The private, nonprofit healthcare facility boasts an internationally renowned reputation for medical breakthroughs and intensive treatments, unique surgical procedures and forward-thinking medical research – all dedicated to fulfilling our mission of enhancing, sustaining and restoring children’s health and development. ACH, named three times as one of U.S. News & World Report’s best pediatric hospitals, also has ranked twice on FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For®. For more information, visit www.archildrens.org

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 corporation is a worldwide leader and in technology, electronic and electrical products, digital consumer products, electronic devices and components, power systems, industrial and social infrastructure systems and home appliances. Toshiba was founded in 1875 and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies with 199,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing $73 billion. For more information, visit Toshiba’s web site at www.medical.toshiba.com.

Aquilion ONE, Aquilion and ^SUREExposure are trademarks of Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation.