Toshiba Medical introduced the latest iterations in their Aplio line of ultrasound scanners: the Aplio i700, i800 and i900. Increased computing power and updated beam technology expand the systems’ ability to image the musculoskeletal system, providing accurate diagnoses of sprains, strains, tears and other soft tissue conditions.
The scanner line is designed for radiology or imaging departments with high patient throughput, according to Toshiba Medical.
The i800 model offers an ultra-high-frequency 24mhz transducer, making it easier for clinicians to image superficial musculoskeletal structures. All three variants incorporate ergonomic design to reduce overuse injury and boost productivity—important in the fast-paced imaging departments Toshiba envisions as likely adopters.
“With the Aplio i-series, our customers have access to the high-quality imaging they rely on for confident diagnoses without sacrificing clinical efficiency or patient safety,” said Dan Skyba, director, Ultrasound Business Unit, Toshiba America Medical Systems. “By combining excellent image quality with brand new controls and ergonomic features in a real-time workflow, the Aplio i-series systems make ultrasound the go-to solution for musculoskeletal imaging, as well as for a wider array of imaging needs.”
The i700, i800 and i900 models are successors to the Aplio 300 and 500 systems, introduced in 2011. The 300 was a standard ultrasound meant for routine exams, while the 500 had advanced visualization features allowing navigation through volume data and side-by-side comparison of ultrasound and CT images.
Clinical evidence and research studies support using point-of-care ultrasound as the initial test for many musculoskeletal conditions, lowering both costs and patient dose when compared to other modalities such as CT and MRI. In fact, a 2008 study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found that substituting ultrasound for MRI in musculoskeletal studies could save $6.9 billion by 2020.
The newly announced models were showcased at the Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) 2017 Annual Meeting, held March 19-22 in Santa Barbara, California.