11/28/1999
For Immediate Release
HITACHI DEMONSTRATES HIGH PERFORMANCE LEADERSHIP IN OPEN MR WITH ADVANCED CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
CONTACT:
Sheldon Schaffer
Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc.
1959 Summit Commerce Park
Twinsburg, Ohio 44087
800.800.3106
330.425.1313
330.425.1410 FAX
info@hitachimed.com
www.hitachimed.com
Chicago, Illinois -November 28, 1999 - Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. (HMSA) is demonstrating a host of new high performance capabilities on its AIRIS®II premium open magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting being held this week in Chicago. Hitachi has established a leadership position in Open MR with more than 800 systems installed throughout the United States and nearly 2000 worldwide.
"The AIRIS II platform was designed to deliver excellent image quality across a wide range of studies, plus it possesses the high-performance features needed to perform advanced techniques which were once confined to high-field MR systems," stated Sheldon Schaffer, Vice President and General Manager of HMSA’s MR products. "These include EPI for rapid T1- and T2-weighted imaging as well as EPI-based diffusion-weighted imaging, which shows great clinical potential aiding in the diagnosis of stroke patients as well as other applications."
AIRIS II’s high-performance capabilities begin with its powerful gradient system, enabling up to 512 x 512 matrix resolution, 256 ETL, small FOV and thin slice imaging. With 15 mT/m amplitude and a fast slew rate, you can produce high-resolution images with short TEs and long echo train lengths, supporting high-end protocols. AIRIS II also comes standard with a high performance digital RF system and the ultra-fast Xp workstation computer.
"Product leadership is not just about field strength, it’s about achieving the right balance of price and performance – something AIRIS II does better than any open system." continued Schaffer. "You have to consider the total cost of ownership over the life of the MR system. With its low power consumption, the AIRIS II has the lowest operating cost of any Open MR on the market. It only requires 380 square feet of floor space, with little or no shielding. And, you don’t need a separate electronics room, water chillers, cryo-coolers, special electrical upgrades or back-up generators. It all adds up to significant cost savings for AIRIS II users."
AIRIS II’s award-winning "Open-Air" gantry features a huge panoramic opening which comforts patients and allows attending physicians and staff greater access to the patient. The unique design also opens the door to other applications, such as intraoperative and interventional MR utilizing the special package which is optionally available.
Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. (HMSA) markets the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging products of Hitachi Medical Corporation (HMC), Tokyo, Japan. These include the AIRIS and AIRIS II 0.3T Open-Air permanent magnet and the CELERISTM 1.5T short-bore high-field system. HMSA has established itself as a major provider of magnetic resonance imaging systems in the United States. Hitachi has also entered the U.S. X-Ray market with unique technology including the VA100 360 degree rotational angiographic system and the VersiFlexTM that performs both R&F and angiographic procedures in a single system. Both products are designed to meet the growing trend toward minimally invasive procedures and shorten exam times when compared to traditional systems.
