TOSHIBA RECEIVES FDA CLEARANCE FOR VANTAGE ZGV MRI SYSTEM

MRI System Boasts Advanced Capabilities for Cardiac Imaging Applications

ACC Booth # 4119

ATLANTA, March 11, 2006 – Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. (TAMS) today announced FDA clearance for its high performance Excelart Vantage^TM ZGV magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the most sophisticated 1.5T system in the industry.  The new Vantage ZGV is immediately available and offers new product sequences, enhanced image quality, and features the Mach 8 processor, increasing reconstruction to 1300 images per second for more powerful clinical applications. 

“The ZGV continues our tradition of creating high quality, innovative products that best serve patient and clinician needs for advanced cardiac imaging applications,” said Bob Giegerich, director, MR Business Unit, TAMS.  “Featuring the reliability and accuracy that have become trademarks of Toshiba’s line of Vantage products, the ZGV offers even more sophisticated features to help improve diagnosis and overall patient comfort.”

The Vantage ZGV offers a gradient strength of 33 mT/m (milliTesla per meter), a slew rate of 200 mT/m/ms (milliTesla per meter per millisecond) and delivers the highest homogeneity of any magnet in the industry over the full 50 cm diameter spherical volume (DSV).  Field upgrade kits to the new ZGV are available to current Vantage users. 

Vantage MRI—Unmatched Performance and Patient-Focused Features
In addition to the ZGV model, the Vantage is available in three other versions offering an ultra-short magnet at 140 cm with linear 30 mT/m gradient strength and a slew rate of 50 mT/m/ms on the AGV, the 86 mT/m/ms on the MGV and 130 mT/m/ms on the XGV. 

Featuring some of the most advanced MRI applications available in the industry, the Vantage includes optional packages for cardiac imaging, advanced Echo Planar Imaging (EPI), Perfusion and Diffusion Imaging, Peripheral MRA (magnetic resonance angiography), and SuperFASE (Fast Advanced Spin Echo) imaging.  In addition, Toshiba has pioneered research into contrast-free MRA with its Fresh Blood Imaging (FBI) protocol and Body Diffusion.

With Toshiba's patented Pianissimo^TM technology, which reduces acoustic noise by as much as 90 percent, the Vantage dramatically reduces the most significant cause of patient discomfort and enables clinicians to better utilize all of the system's high-field MRI capabilities including SPEEDER parallel imaging for increased acquisition speed and reduced examination times.  For more information about the Vantage, TAMS and its wide range of medical imaging products, visit www.medical.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba
With headquarters in Tustin, Calif., 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 Corporation, an independent group company of Toshiba Corporation, 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 Corporation 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.

Excelart Vantage^TM and Pianissimo^TM are trademarks of Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation.