Monday, October 27, 2008

SonoSite Announces Powerful New Technology For M-Turbo™ System

BOTHELL, WA - October 27, 2008 - SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for point of care medicine, announced today the introduction of SonoGT™ Global Targeted technology, an advance that capitalizes on the power of the M-Turbo platform to drive a new level of color flow imaging, wireless connectivity and workflow integration for anesthesia, emergency medicine, critical care and other acute point-of-care markets.

“SonoGT technology demonstrates the intrinsic capabilities of the M-Turbo system architecture to address our global, multiple point-of-care markets with targeted solutions,” said Kevin M. Goodwin, SonoSite President and CEO. “This advance is aimed at increasing imaging capabilities and clinical productivity and includes a wide range of new technologies and options.”

The company plans to begin customer shipments of new M-Turbo systems with SonoGT technology in the fourth quarter.

source : SonoSite

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Sensitive ultrasound to spot early-stage cancer

European researchers have developed highly sensitive ultrasound equipment that can detect tiny quantities of reflective microbubbles engineered to stick to specific tumour cells. The technique should pick up tumours early and improve patients' chances of survival.

Most of the current diagnostic methods – biopsy analysis, biochemical tests and medical imaging – are not sufficiently sensitive. They frequently return a false negative; the tumour is only discovered when it is much bigger, and too late.

European researchers are developing a new technique that will help medical professionals visualise tiny quantities of pathological tissue in patients. The technology could localise tumours in their very earliest stages of development and help doctors begin treatments much earlier, giving patients a much better chance of survival.

source: ICT Results

Thursday, October 23, 2008

SonoSite Hand-Carried Ultrasound Systems Score 99% Approval Ratings

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound at the point-of-care, announced today that an independently conducted, random survey of U.S. customers showed that 99% are satisfied with their SonoSite product and that nine out of 10 customers are “very” or “completely” satisfied overall. The statistically significant survey is the fifth commissioned by SonoSite since January 2005 to document similarly high approval ratings.

SonoSite Products Exceed Expectations

The survey measured satisfaction among both new users, defined as those who had acquired a SonoSite system within the past four to six months, and long term users, customers who had acquired a SonoSite system within the past eight months to three years. To participate in the survey, respondents were required to be involved in the day-to-day operation or usage of the SonoSite products and not just involved in the acquisition decision.

The survey found a commanding majority of participants of both new and long-term users said that SonoSite products exceeded their expectations for image quality, reliability, durability, ergonomic design of transducers and ease of use and that they would recommend their SonoSite product to colleagues. Most customers say they would be “very likely” to acquire additional SonoSite products and that they would recommend their SonoSite product to their colleagues.

source: SonoSite

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Advanced New LA County-USC Trauma Center Redefines Resuscitation Through Integrating Mounted Point-Of-Care Ultrasound

BOTHELL, WA - October 7, 2008 - SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound in point of care medicine, announced today that the new Los Angeles County-USC (LAC+USC) Medical Center has installed 12 S-FAST™ point-of-care ultrasound tools in each of its major resuscitation bays, where the most critically ill and injured people are treated. LA County Hospital is one of the country’s largest and busiest Level I trauma centers with 150,000 ED patient visits annually and is recognized worldwide as a leader in trauma care.

By mounting SonoSite’s zero-footprint ultrasound tools on the Steris® Harmony Ceiling System resuscitation towers with defibrillators, cardiac monitors, pulse oximeters and other critical care equipment, this highly advanced Level 1 trauma center moves to the forefront of integrating ultrasound into patient resuscitation and trauma care. Opening to patients on November 7, LA County-USC Medical Center will become the world’s first emergency department to integrate point-of-care ultrasound in such a comprehensive way.

source: SonoSite

Monday, October 13, 2008

GE Healthcare and Boston Scientific Collaborate on Cardiovascular Imaging

WAUKESHA, Wis. and NATICK, Mass., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) market leader Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced a collaboration that enables improved intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) workflow between the GE Healthcare Innova® Cardiovascular X-ray System and the Boston Scientific iLab® Ultrasound Imaging System. The iLab and Innova Systems will both be featured at the October 12-17 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Scientific Symposium in Washington, D.C.

The Innova® System is the world's most trusted family of all-digital cardiovascular imaging systems. The Innova X-ray imaging systems provide users with excellent image quality with industry leading dose efficiency. Built on GE's industry leading Innova digital detector, the Innova System helps physicians clearly visualize fine vessels, precisely place stents and successfully perform critical procedures. Cardiologists in the cardiac cath lab use it when performing procedures to view and treat potential coronary artery blockages that could cause heart attacks or other serious cardiovascular damage. The system is designed to provide cardiologists with more information than ever before, resulting in better diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

source: Boston Scientific

Friday, October 10, 2008

Advanced New LA County-USC Trauma Center Redefines Resuscitation Through Integrating Mounted Point-Of-Care Ultrasound

BOTHELL, WA - October 7, 2008 - SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound in point of care medicine, announced today that the new Los Angeles County-USC (LAC+USC) Medical Center has installed 12 S-FAST™ point-of-care ultrasound tools in each of its major resuscitation bays, where the most critically ill and injured people are treated. LA County Hospital is one of the country’s largest and busiest Level I trauma centers with 150,000 ED patient visits annually and is recognized worldwide as a leader in trauma care.

By mounting SonoSite’s zero-footprint ultrasound tools on the Steris® Harmony Ceiling System resuscitation towers with defibrillators, cardiac monitors, pulse oximeters and other critical care equipment, this highly advanced Level 1 trauma center moves to the forefront of integrating ultrasound into patient resuscitation and trauma care. Opening to patients on November 7, LA County-USC Medical Center will become the world’s first emergency department to integrate point-of-care ultrasound in such a comprehensive way.

source: SonoSite

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Terason Launches IMPACT 2008 to Provide Unique Advantage in Laptop Ultrasound Market

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TERASON, the innovator and leader in patented ultrasound microsystem technology, advances its handheld laptop ultrasound system with the release of IMPACT 2008. With this release, Terason focuses on bringing a superior cost-effective patient care solution through its Windows® based architecture to our customers. IMPACT 2008 advances the overall performance and functionality of ultrasound across various applications.

IMPACT 2008 encompasses many new features and benefits advancing the overall image quality of Terason’s Ultrasound Systems. Superior image quality is enriched through proprietary new algorithms, lateral resolution, Advanced Harmonic Imaging (AHI) and OmniVision. The increase in lateral resolution is achieved without decreasing the frame rate. OmniVision features electronic beam steering for rapidly acquiring several scans from many different viewing angles for more confidence in visualization and diagnosis. OmniVision reduces speckle, shadowing, clutter and other acoustic artifacts, resulting in exceptional contrast resolution and tissue differentiation. New grayscale maps provide clinicians with exquisite grayscale imaging, as well as additional choices in image displays. Terason’s unique advanced harmonic imaging algorithm is further optimized for the 5C2 and 4V2 transducers, reducing artifacts and improving contrast resolution.

source: Business Wire