World Premiere - Toshiba announces a new era in ultrasound imaging
New Aplio™ series shifts boundaries for imaging, intervention and productivity in ultrasound imaging.

Vienna, August 26, 2011 - At this year’s World Congress of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (August 26-29. 2011, Vienna), Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (TMSC) introduces its new and outstanding high-end ultrasound series, the Aplio 300, 400 and 500. Under the motto “A giant leap forward” Toshiba offers unique features such as Fly Thru and Smart Fusion that take ultrasound imaging to a new dimension.

“The new Aplio series offers an extensive range of clinical innovations presented in a fresh, extremely smart and ergonomic design. State of the art technologies and pioneering new features enhance all aspects of ultrasound imaging raising the highly successful Aplio brand to an entirely new level”, said Dr. Jörg Schlegel, Global Marketing Manager, Business Unit Ultrasound at Toshiba Medical Systems.
The most striking innovations are the 4D option Fly Thru as well as Smart Fusion that enables the user to merge CT or MRI images with the ultrasound scan in realtime.

Fly Thru utilizes perspective rendering to let you virtually dive into a volume data set and explore cavities, ducts and vessels from the inside and in 3D. While conventional 3D imaging displays the surface of a given structure by parallel projection, FlyThru uses perspective projection to display a given structure, emphasizing the near over the far field much like in optical endoscopy.Smart

Fusion: Smart Fusion is a powerful navigation tool that allows combining different imaging modalities onscreen in realtime. It reads 3D DICOM data sets from all major imaging modalities such as CT and MRI. A position-sensor with sub-millimetre accuracy is attached to the transducer shaft to provide free access during interventions. Matching the transducer position with the pre-acquired 3D data set is a simple and quick two-step process, making this tool easy to work with in daily routine.
“We not merely wanted to maintain our excellent reputation as the undisputed leader in image quality in the ultrasound market but wanted to chart new territory in order to offer our customers completely new diagnostic options”, concludes Joop van de Kant, Clinical Marketing Manager Ultrasound.

To assure the new Aplio series is most beneficial, Toshiba decided to involve highly renowned clinicians in the development from a very early stage. This teamwork led to a further improvement of image quality compared to Aplio XG, which represented already the benchmark in today’s high end market. “Even though we are very satisfied with the image quality of our current Aplio systems, the new Aplio 500 gives us even better spatial resolution and imaging contrast”, says Dr Adrian Lim, Consultant Radiologist and Head of the Ultrasound Department at Charing Cross Hospital in London, UK.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Fischer, Radiological Institute at Charité in Berlin, said: “In addition to the stunning quality of the B-mode image, Smart Fusion is most beneficial for clinical settings. This is the first feature to routinely allow calling up CT data sets and combine them live with the ultrasound images. That means I can navigate the CT and the ultrasound image in realtime, change values of the CT scan, directly compare findings, perform biopsies and administer contrast agents. Since the function is very easy to handle it is excellently suited for every-day clinical use.”

Bill Smith, Head of Ultrasound Services at Clinical Diagnostic Services in London, UK, underlines the advantages of the Fly Thru option for gynaecological and obstetric scenarios: “Fly Thru is opening up completely new perspectives for non-invasive imaging diagnostics in the Ob/Gyn ultrasound lab. It offers the possibility to replace endoscopic examinations and may yield better results because the surrounding tissue can be seen at the same time as well.”

“High Density Rendering is a magnificent 3D/4D option that provides images of the fetus even better than current MR imaging techniques”, Dr. Rainer Bald, Head of Prenatal Diagnostics at Klinikum Leverkusen, adds.

Moreover, iStyle+ Productivity improves ergonomics and makes handling of the system much easier and therefore optimises workflow and increases the consistency of exams. “Aplio 500 works with impressive speed, offers a beautiful, compact and powerful design and excellent imaging in all modes”, said David Cosgrove, Senior Research Investigator at the Institute of Clinical Science at The Imperial College in London, UK.