11/26/2000
For Immediate Release
HITACHI ENHANCES PERFORMANCE OF INSTALLED OPEN MR SYSTEMS WITH ADVANCED CLINICAL CAPABILITIES
CONTACT:
Sheldon Schaffer
Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc.
1959 Summit Commerce Park
Twinsburg, Ohio 44087
800.800.3106 or 330.425.1313 Ext. 5447
330.425.1410 Fax
info@hitachimed.com
www.hitachimed.com
Chicago, Illinois – November 26, 2000 – Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. (HMSA) unveiled a host of performance enhancements for its AIRIS®II high-performance premium Open MR imaging system at the Radiological Society of North America’s (RSNA) annual meeting being held this week in Chicago. Since making Open MR popular a decade ago, Hitachi has established a leadership position in Open MR imaging with more than 900 systems installed in the United States and 2000 worldwide.
“AIRIS II uses advanced imaging technology for outstanding image quality, and Hitachi is committed to continuing to provide its customers with innovative enhancements to our current products,” stated Sheldon Schaffer, Vice President and General Manager of Magnetic Resonance. Included in the new offerings are EPI-based diffusion-weighted imaging and an advanced fat-water separation technique (FatSepTM)for Neurological and Orthopedic applications respectively. Contrast-enhanced MR angiography, and the addition of advanced image reconstruction techniques for Time Of Flight (TOF) MRA, further extend the capabilities of AIRIS II.
“HMSA is also furthering our development of multiple array coils for extended anatomical coverage and increased productivity. Currently, a knee/foot/ankle multiple array coil and a peripheral vascular coil are under investigation,” commented Schaffer.
AIRIS II provides the versatility needed to meet a demanding range of clinical requirements. It features an award-winning open gantry design that provides easy access from all four sides for patient comfort and operator convenience, while delivering consistently high quality images needed for comprehensive diagnosis. These recent enhancements to AIRIS II will be available
in 2001.
Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. markets premium, high performance magnetic resonance (MR) imaging products of Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. These include the AIRIS and AIRIS ll Open MR systems with advanced permanent magnet technology, and the new AltaireTM high-field performance Open MR system. HMSA has established itself as a major provider of magnetic resonance imaging systems with more than 900 systems installed throughout the United States and 2,000 worldwide. Since the company first popularized the concept of Open MR a decade ago, it has been the fastest growing segment of MR imaging, and today accounts for nearly 50 percent of all MR imaging system sales.
