Toshiba Adds New Clinical Capabilities to the High-Performance Ultra Open-MRI System; New Version 5.0 Software with Advanced Pulse Sequences Makes Ultra the Imaging Standard for Open MRI

Business Wire, Nov 17, 2004

TUSTIN, Calif. -- Demonstrating continued investment and optimization of open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. (TAMS) today announced Version 5.0 software. This software includes advanced MRI pulse sequences that offer additional clinical versatility with faster scan times for the Ultra open-MRI system.

"Toshiba's Ultra represents the industry's best open MRI with its unique gradient field technology. With the addition of new pulse sequences, the Ultra sets a new standard for clinical performance," said Anita Bowler, product manager, MR Business Unit, Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. "With the new Version 5.0 software, our customer will not only continue to retain the value of the Ultra system but also expand their clinical capabilities with the latest MRI pulse sequences."

High-Performance System Design

Ultra is the most advanced and powerful whole body open-MRI system available with its unique MRI gradient field technology featuring an amplitude of 25 mT/m (milli-tesla per meter) and the industry's best slew rate of 100 T/m/s (tesla per meter per second). As a result, this slew rate allows the Ultra's gradient speed to be nearly five times faster than current open systems and 250 percent greater than its high-field (1.0-1.5T cylindrical) counterparts. With this performance level, the Ultra offers clinical capabilities that are comparable to those of more costly high-field systems.

Expanding Open-MRI Clinical Capabilities and Speed

The Ultra is designed to handle a full range of diagnostic procedures from routine neurology, body and musculoskeletal imaging to the more advanced neurofunctional and cardiovascular studies.

The addition of new Version 5.0 software expands the Ultra's clinical capabilities with the latest MRI pulse sequences, including: SuperFASE, Steady State Two Echoes (SS2E) for high-contrast imaging, which is similar to Steady State Free Precession (SSFP); Steady State T2 (SST2) for conducting heavily weighted T2 images; Sliding Slab for enhanced 3D TOF (time-of-flight) brain MR angiography images; Variable No Phase Wrap (NPW); Line Scan Diffusion to complement Single Shot Echo Planar Imaging (SS-EPI); and Swirl Encoding to reduce the flow and motion artifacts.

For more information about the Ultra, TAMS and its wide range of medical imaging products, please visit www.medical.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba

With headquarters in Tustin, 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, X-ray, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, MRI and information systems. Toshiba Corp. is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. Toshiba has approximately 161,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of $53 billion.

Note to Editors: Ultra(TM) is a trademark of Toshiba Medical Systems Corp.