News | Press Releases

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March 22, 2010

TOSHIBA MR TECHNOLOGY SHORTENS BRAIN IMAGING TIME

Proprietary V-TRACE Technology Captures Four Image Contrasts in One Sequence

TUSTIN, Calif., March 22, 2010 – When imaging the brain, time is critical as vascular abnormalities can have a profound effect on patients’ lives if not diagnosed quickly. To help health care facilities diagnose disease with greater accuracy and speed, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has introduced Variable True Rate Angiography with Combined Encodings (V-TRACE), an exclusive MRA sequence available on all Vantage TitanTM and Vantage Atlas® MR systems. V-TRACE streamlines MRA brain imaging by acquiring four image contrasts in one sequence, providing an imaging application for visualizing slow and fast flow vessels separately and together, as well as the brain tissue surrounding the vessels.

“The ability of Toshiba’s V-TRACE MRA sequence to image four contrasts in one sequence allows for greater visualization of blood vessels in the brain, particularly collateral vessels that can be difficult to see with standard MRA sequences,” said Doug Ryan, vice president, Marketing and Strategic Development, Toshiba. “This new sequence allows hospitals to improve workflow and patient care by saving time during MRA imaging.”

V-TRACE MRA is a dual-echo 3D FE sequence in which the first echo is acquired using Time-Of-Flight (TOF) and the second echo is acquired using Flow Sensitive Black Blood (FSBB). The sequence combines the advantages of both techniques to produce MRA images that depict blood vessels with both high and low velocity. The sequence design reduces the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is a measurement of heat generated to the body during a MRI. Additionally, the TOF data can be used to evaluate the brain parenchyma. The images produced by the V-TRACE sequence improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis.

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 worldwide leader 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.