February 1, 2012 — Toshiba America Medical Systems announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of the Aquilion Prime computed tomography (CT) system, the latest addition to the Aquilion CT product line. With double-slice technology and coneXact reconstruction algorithm originally designed for Aquilion One, the system can generate 160 unique slices per rotation, enhancing multi-planar reformatting (MPR) and 3-D-rendered images. The Aquilion Prime was designed for healthcare facilities that need to perform a wide variety of advanced clinical examinations and produce high-quality clinical images with reduced radiation exposure.
The Aquilion Prime features an 80-row, 0.5 mm detector, a 7.5 MHU large-capacity tube, and 0.35-second scanning. This high-speed rotation allows rapid data acquisition and shortens scan times while the fast reconstruction unit improves throughput, reducing time required for diagnosis. The system also features a 78 cm aperture gantry, the largest currently available in a high-end CT system. The company said the combination of a 660-pound patient-weight-capacity couch with a large gantry bore makes the Aquilion Prime an ideal system for use in emergency scanning or bariatric patient studies.
To reinforce the principle of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) imaging, adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR) and Nema XR 25 Dose Check software are standard features on the Aquilion Prime. AIDR technology is an iterative process that removes noise from the image with reduced radiation dose. Toshiba’s Nema XR 25 dose check software enhances user awareness of the radiation dose being administered to patients. This software includes dose alert and dose notification, addressing the two main components of the Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance’s (MITA) CT Dose Check Initiative, as well as tracking and digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM), to further enhance dose awareness.
For more information: www.medical.toshiba.com