GE Healthcare releases new products, upgrades at SIR

GE Healthcare announced a series of new products and upgrades at the Society of Interventional Radiology's (SIR) 30th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, La., March 31 - April 5.

GE and InSightec, a developer of non-invasive therapy systems, revealed plans for the world's first magnetic resonance (MR) images guided focused ultrasound system to treat uterine fibroids, a condition that affects up to 70 percent of all reproductive age woman, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

InSightec's ExAblate 2000 system works in combination of GE's Signa MR system to non-invasively treat symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Enhancements were unveiled for GE's Innova 4100 and Innova 3100 cardiovascular and interventional imaging technology. The digital flat panel detector systems can now utilize three-dimensional (3-D) models of vascular structures that can be viewed in nearly any given projection for an array of image information, GE said.

GE's 3-D application is a vascular x-ray acquisition mode that takes two-dimensional digital angiographic data created during high-speed spin, which in turn reconstructs a 3-D model of the data, said Laura King, global vice president, Interventional, Cardiology and Surgery.

As a further workflow enhancement to the Innova system, a new automated imaging system called InnovaBreeze was also shown. InnovaBreeze uses digital flat panel detector technology to allow physicians to more clearly see the vessels and anatomy from the stomach down through the legs, GE said.

GE's announced its intervention suite, featuring the OEC9800 MD digital motorized mobile imaging system. The suite includes the motorized C-arm, ceiling supported monitors, four-way floating imaging tables and contrast injectors, GE said.

The Integrated MR Guided Surgical Suite, a collaboration with healthcare company Maquet GmbH & Co. KG, was announced. The companies have created a suite that offers multiple usage applications such as MR guided neurosurgery, focused ultrasound, and x-MR vascular procedures.

The compact ultrasound system LOGIQ Book XP was presented, which is designed to allow cardiac assessment and surgical imaging nearly anywhere, GE said. The system weights only 10 lbs. and is fully featured.

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