FDA clears Toshiba's Aquilion PRIME CT system

Feb 1 2012

Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. announces the FDA clearance of the Aquilion™ PRIME CT system, the latest addition to the Aquilion CT product line and part of the "ONE Family" of CT scanners. With double-slice technology and coneXact™ reconstruction algorithm, originally designed for Aquilion ONE, the system can generate 160 unique slices per rotation, enhancing MPR and 3D-rendered images. The Aquilion PRIME was designed for healthcare facilities that need to perform a wide variety of advanced clinical examinations and produce high-quality clinical images with reduced radiation exposure.

“That, along with standard patient safety features AIDR and NEMA XR 25 Dose Check Software, helps clinicians acquire quality images while attempting to minimize radiation dose as much as possible.”

The Aquilion PRIME features an 80-row, 0.5 mm detector, a 7.5 MHU large-capacity tube, and 0.35-second scanning. This high-speed rotation allows rapid data acquisition and shortens scan times while the fast reconstruction unit further improves throughput, reducing time required for diagnosis. The system also features a 78 cm aperture gantry, the largest currently available in a high-end CT system. The combination of a 660-pound patient-weight-capacity couch with a large gantry bore makes the Aquilion PRIME an ideal system for use in emergency scanning or bariatric patient studies.

To reinforce the principle of As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) imaging, Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction (AIDR) and NEMA XR 25 Dose Check Software are standard features on the Aquilion PRIME. AIDR technology is an iterative process that removes noise from the image with reduced radiation dose. Toshiba's NEMA XR 25 Dose Check Software enhances user awareness of the radiation dose being administered to patients. This software includes Dose Alert and Dose Notification, addressing the two main components of MITA's CT Dose Check Initiative, as well as Tracking and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM), to further enhance dose awareness.

"The combination of the 0.35 second gantry rotation speed and the state-of-the-art reconstruction technology allows many examinations to be performed and reconstructed in mere seconds, improving patient care and overall departmental efficiency," said Joseph Cooper, director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba. "That, along with standard patient safety features AIDR and NEMA XR 25 Dose Check Software, helps clinicians acquire quality images while attempting to minimize radiation dose as much as possible."