Friday, June 26, 2009

Sonosite Introduces Innovative Delivery Of Ultrasound Education Using iPhone™ Application

BOTHELL, WA, June 24, 2009 - SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for point-of-care medicine, announced today the launch of the SonoAccess™ application, the first medical iPhone app from an ultrasound company that provides a multimedia library of ultrasound resource materials for medical professionals to access when and where they need it.

The SonoAccess application is an iPhone or iPod touch® interactive mobile learning application that addresses the continuing educational needs of point-of-care ultrasound users. SonoSite partnered with leading physicians to gather and create clinical education materials for emergency medicine, critical care and anesthesia with other specialties to be added soon. Users can access high quality instructional videos, case studies and reimbursement guides, as well as reference nearly 100 clinical images and news feeds on SonoSite. In addition, users can customize their user profiles to generate recommended lists of videos specific to their practice, as well as share videos, case studies and images with their colleagues and friends. The SonoAccess application is available for free download at www.sonosite.com/products/sonoaccess.

source: Sonosite

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Philips announces world's smallest multiplane transesophageal transducer

Andover, Mass., USA – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) today introduced its microTEE, the world’s smallest transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) transducer for cardiac imaging of neonatal patients. As part of the latest Vision release for the Philips iE33 intelligent echocardiography system, the microTEE transducer provides pediatric cardiologists with a diagnostic tool for imaging the hearts of newborn patients. Philips microTEE will be showcased next week at the 20th annual American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) in Washington, D.C. and will be available for sale globally this summer.

Due to the larger size of previously available pediatric TEE transducers, small babies have been impossible to image during critical cardiac catheterization or surgical procedures. As a result, high-risk procedures have been done routinely on these tiny patients without transesophageal echocardiography images available to the interventionalist or surgeon.

"The microTEE probe is a major advance in our ability to provide intra-operative cardiac imaging in newborn babies and infants,” said Dr. Girish Shirali, M.D., director of pediatric echocardiography at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Children’s Hospital. “We are delighted with the image quality, and the miniaturization of the probe has already proven invaluable to our pediatric interventionalists in high-risk cath lab procedures. Finally, our smallest and sickest patients can be imaged intra-operatively just like everyone else.”

source: Philips

Sunday, June 14, 2009

BK Medical Introduces the Pro Focus UltraView Ultrasound System

Copenhagen, Denmark -- BK Medical, a wholly owned subsidiary of Analogic Corporation (NASDAQ: ALOG), launches its new, full-featured ultrasound system, the Pro Focus™ UltraView™, for the surgical and urological ultrasound markets. This high-performance ultrasound system uses BK Medical's new IQPAC™ technology to provide premium images that make a diagnostic difference.

IQPAC technology combines BK Medical's proprietary Enhanced Tissue Definition and Angular Compound Imaging technologies to optimize the ultrasound image. Enhanced Tissue Definition intensifies anatomic borders by minimizing speckle, and Angular Compound Imaging uses images from several angles to create a superior compound image. Together, these two technologies enable IQPAC to provide significantly advanced image quality. The UltraView system also features a 19" high-definition monitor with scalable image size and a sealed keyboard for easy cleaning.

source: DotMed

Thursday, June 11, 2009

SonoSite Begins Customer Shipments of Ultrasound Remote Control

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for point-of-care medicine, announced today that it has begun customer shipments of the SonoRemote™ Control, a compact voice or touch activated solution for adjusting ultrasound controls at a distance when using SonoSite M-Turbo® or S Series™ systems.

Approximately the size of an iPhone® and using Bluetooth® technology, the SonoRemote Control is capable of adjusting essential system parameters – Depth, Gain, Freeze and Save – within 10 meters of the ultrasound system. With voice activation or when used in a sterile sheath, the SonoSite remote control eliminates the need to break the sterile field during interventional procedures. And with a tactile reference keypad the user does not have to look at the remote to identify which button to press—even the touchpad has been designed with increased workflow in mind.

Dr. Ben DuBois, MD, orthopedic shoulder specialist in San Diego, explains how the remote can help in his practice: “With any ultrasound guided needle placement for joint injections I am using both hands and am unable to save or freeze the ultrasound image without having a medical assistant in the room to help. However, tying up my assistant just to push a button is not an efficient use of their time; it slows down patient flow, and limits the number of patients we can see in a day. With the remote I would be able to do the injection and run the ultrasound system myself without having to waste anyone’s time.”

source: Business Wire

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

New Heart Ultrasound Research Reveals Life-Saving Treatment Alternatives And Advancements For Heart Patients

The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) welcomes the world's leading researchers in cardiovascular medicine to present their most-recent findings at its 20th Annual Scientific Sessions, June 6-10, at the Gaylord National Convention Center in Washington, DC. This year, NBA basketball player and former heart patient, Ronny Turiaf will be in attendance to talk about how echocardiography, otherwise known as heart ultrasound, saved his life.

Many of the studies revealed will have a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and the application of echocardiograms. Studies detail the following:

-- A nonsurgical option for common heart procedures

-- Lack of adherence to guidelines leave symptoms unidentified and patients untreated

-- Newer technology that can better predict survival chances for heart patients

source: Medical News Today