MRI System Achieves Top Rank in Performance Study

The Vantage 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system ranked first in a multichannel MRI performance report by KLAS Enterprises LLC (New York, NY, USA). The Vantage received a score of 92 out of 100, the highest of all major vendors.

Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. (Tustin, CA, USA), the developer of the system, led scoring in every performance and business indicator category, including enterprise commitment to technology and proactive service. Furthermore, respondents cited the system's image quality and patient comfort as two primary reasons for recommending the system to a colleague.

"We are thrilled to be recognized by KlasAmerica Medical Systems, Inc. as the leader in MR performance,” said Bob Giegerich, director of the MR Business Unit at Toshiba. "These results reinforce Toshiba as a leader in MR and are indicative of Toshiba's dedication to unmatched customer service. Our KLAS distinction in MR complements our already high overall vendor ratings in CT technology.”

KLAS, a research and analyzing firm that monitors the performance of health information technology vendors and professional services firms, released the Multichannel MRI Performance Study on September 27, 2006. Participants included clinics, imaging centers, and hospitals ranging in size from one to 1,000 beds. The KLAS findings follow an August 2006 MD Buyline report, which demonstrated Toshiba's MR business unit has consistently performed above the industry average for almost two years.

The Vantage 1.5T MRI system combines patient comfort features and homogeneity, providing fast, comfortable exams for patients and excellent images for clinical review. The system provides diagnostic accuracy because its components work together well, providing quality healthcare.

The Vantage features one of the industry's shortest magnets at 140 cm with linear 30 mT/m gradient strength and a slew rate of 130 mT/m/ms for the Vantage CGV. Despite the short length of the magnet, the system provides one of the highest magnet homogeneity in the industry within a full 50 cm diameter spherical volume. With Toshiba's patented Pianissimo technology, which effectively reduces acoustic noise by as much as 90%, the MRI system considerably reduces the most significant cause for patient discomfort and enables clinicians to better utilize the system's high-field MRI capabilities and SPEEDER parallel processing for increased image acquisition speed and reduced exam times.

Toshiba Medical Systems is an independent group company of Toshiba Corp., is a global leading provider of diagnostic medical imaging systems and comprehensive medical systems.



Related Links:
KLAS Enterprises
Toshiba America Medical Systems