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December 1, 2010

TOSHIBA’S 3T MR ENHANCES PATIENT COMFORT AND IMPROVES EXAM EFFICIENCY

New System Showcased at RSNA Demonstrates Toshiba’s Commitment to Patient-Friendly, Efficient Imaging

CHICAGO, Dec. 1, 2010 – For many patients, claustrophobia and acoustic noise can make MR imaging uncomfortable. Understanding this challenge, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. developed a 3T MR system designed to improve patient compliance and comfort while offering advanced radiology capabilities for healthcare facilities. Toshiba is showcasing its new Vantage Titan^TM 3T open bore MR (pending 510k clearance) at this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, held in Chicago, Nov. 28 – Dec. 3, 2010 (Booth #3435, South Hall). The new patient-focused system is the only 3T MR offering patient-friendly features such as noise reduction, a wide and open bore, feet-first imaging and Toshiba’s proprietary contrast-free techniques.

Toshiba understands that by making MR exams more comfortable for patients, patient compliance, exam efficiency and technologist productivity are improved. Toshiba’s Vantage Titan 3T MR combines Toshiba’s commitment to patient comfort with the power of additional diagnostic capabilities.

Benefits of the Vantage Titan 3T open bore MR include:

• Vantage Titan’s open bore offers a 71 cm aperture. The open bore’s larger diameter enables hospitals to scan bariatric patients with greater ease and provides patients with a greater feeling of openness to reduce claustrophobia.

• Toshiba’s exclusive Pianissimo^TM noise-reduction technology, which reduces exam noise by up to 90 percent, makes the Vantage Titan 3T MR the quietest available and solves one of the 3T market’s greatest patient compliance issues. Since the patient experiences lower noise levels with Pianissimo, patients stay more relaxed during exams and fewer motion artifacts are acquired, which helps improve image quality. Pianissimo also helps technologists image patients more successfully and reduces repeat exams.

• Contrast-free MRA exams, including Fresh Blood Imaging (FBI) for evaluating peripheral vascular diseases of the lower legs and extremities; Contrast-free Improved Angiography (CIA) for easier visualization of smaller vessels; Time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse (Time-SLIP) for evaluating hemodynamic, functional assessments and visualization of vascular structures; and Time Space Angiography (TSA) to create non-contrast time-resolved imaging with high temporal resolution. Toshiba is the only imaging vendor to offer advanced contrast-free MRA techniques.

• The Vantage Titan 3T MR also utilizes Toshiba’s Atlas SPEEDER^TM integrated coil technology to reduce exam time and improve the overall exam experience for patients. Because the coils are integrated into the table, patients do not need to be continually repositioned for many exams, which saves time and improves patient comfort.

• Additionally, the Vantage Titan 3T MR is equipped with the new user interface – M-Power – to further improve ease of use for technologists.

“By listening to our customers, we understand that patient compliance is one of the major issues impacting exam efficiency in the MR industry today,” said Stuart Clarkson, director, MR Business Unit, Toshiba. “Toshiba’s new Vantage Titan 3T MR is an example of our commitment to developing technology to meet our customers’ specific needs and enabling them to improve the exam experience, resulting in better patient compliance and throughput without sacrificing diagnostic confidence.”

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 742 companies with more than 204,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing $68 billion. For more information, visit Toshiba’s website at www.medical.toshiba.com.