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February 4, 2010

TOSHIBA RECEIVES FDA CLEARANCE FOR VIAMO ULTRASOUND SYSTEM

New Portable Laptop System Offers Best-In-Class Imaging Capabilities in a Laptop Size

TUSTIN, Calif., Feb. 4, 2010 – Designed to meet the needs of today’s hospitals by combining portability with high-end radiology features, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.’s new ViamoTM laptop ultrasound system has received FDA clearance. The Viamo is the industry’s no-compromise ultrasound system with advanced radiology capabilities, previously unavailable on hand-carried systems. Toshiba’s Viamo provides the best value in the hand carried class by offering the same premier image quality as larger, more expensive ultrasound systems, but at a lower price point for hospitals. The Viamo was introduced at the 2009 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting.

The Viamo combines the portability of a laptop system with advanced radiology features to deliver outstanding image quality, enhance diagnostic confidence and improve ease of use. Developed from a radiology foundation, Toshiba’s Viamo provides the confidence to image patients at bedside, which generally requires larger, more expensive cart-based systems. When an immobile patient needs a high-end ultrasound exam, the portable Viamo ultrasound is brought to the patient to improve the patient’s comfort without compromising exam quality. It is also ideal for a variety of patient exams, including general radiology, pediatric, emergency, OB/GYN and vascular.

“The Viamo is specifically designed to provide advanced radiology capabilities in a portable system, creating more comfortable exams for patients,” said Girish Hagan, vice president, Marketing, Toshiba. “Providing the best value in the hand-carried segment, the Viamo delivers high-quality images for numerous clinical applications.”

The new Toshiba Viamo laptop ultrasound system offers:
• Best-in-class imaging capabilities in a laptop size, making it ideal for high-end radiology, vascular, emergency, bariatric and OB/GYN exams, even at bedside. For example, Viamo is beneficial during liver transplants when medical personnel must image the anastomoses to assess blood flow through the vessels.
• Excellent image quality and color flow comparable to those of larger, more expensive cart-based systems.
• Ease of use with a simple touch-screen interface that is programmable in panel or tablet modes.
• Ability to interchange Toshiba transducers while using the Viamo’s transportation pole, thus improving productivity and flexibility while saving health care costs by reducing the need to purchase multiple transducers. This unique feature improves productivity and saves money for current customers by using their existing Toshiba transducers on the Viamo. Additionally, new customers are able to use Viamo transducers with other Toshiba ultrasound systems they may purchase in the future.

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.