Canon Introduces Features That Enhance Digital Radiography, PACS Systems; Improvements Include New Product Lineup, User Interface And Open-Architecture Image Storage.

Business Editors

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 23, 2001

Canon Medical Systems, a division of Canon U.S.A., Inc., today introduced several new product features, including immediate image viewing in emergency rooms to the Canon Digital Radiography (DR) Systems and improved storage capabilities to the Canon PACS (Picture Archiving Communications System).

Canon U.S.A. is a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ).

"These enhancements to our DR Systems and PACS will significantly improve the practice of radiology and the healthcare enterprise," said Eric Kuramoto, vice president, Canon Medical Systems. "Our DR and PACS will allow us to make advanced digital imaging, display, distribution and storage technology available to a greater array of health care providers."

For the first time, Canon collectively will demonstrate the following new product features at the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) trade show, November 25 - 29, McCormick Place, Chicago.

Canon Digital Radiography Systems

-- Earlier this year, Canon Medical systems introduced the Canon

CXDI-31 Digital Radiography System. The world's first flat

panel portable cassette-type digital radiography system for

medical institutions, it provides hospitals with a convenient

solution for use with stretchers, gurneys and patient tables.

Lightweight (6.2 pounds) and ultra-thin (less than an inch thick), the Canon CXDI-31 incorporates Canon's X-ray flat-panel sensor unit. The sensor features a 100-micron pixel pitch, realizing high-resolution imaging (approximately 6.5 million pixels) in a 9 x 11-inch format that makes the new Canon digital radiography appropriate for neo-natal, pediatrics, bone and extremities applications. Cost will be less than $100,000. FDA 510(k) clearance is imminent. Canon DR systems have gone on-line at more that 300 locations worldwide.

-- An Emergency Room (ER) system now is available for the Canon

DR Systems - CXDI-11 Upright, CXDI-22 Universal, CXDI-22

Tilting Wall, CXDI-22 Table, CXDI-31 Portable.

Used with a high-resolution grayscale monitor that permits review of digital images taken of emergency patients immediately after x-ray exposure, this new system eliminates the wait for developed film or softcopy images on a diagnostic reading station. Using flat panel sensor technology, it delivers an image with high resolution and contrast within seconds.

Canon Picture Archiving Communications System

-- Adding to existing storage solutions, Canon PACS now offers

Fibre Channel RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) and

SAN (Storage Area Network) Technologies to improve storage

scalability, performance and reliability.

Following market trends for fast access to large amounts of data, Canon incorporated SAN technology while remaining committed to established standards and open architecture. To enhance storage, Canon Medical Systems teamed with Rorke Data's scalable Fibre Channel RAID and SAN solutions. Rorke Data has a 15-year history with open-architecture storage systems that improve image-based workflows in the radiological and diagnostic imaging industry.

-- A new user-interface with fast navigation tools on diagnostic

reading stations.

The Unix-based multi-modality reading workstations are designed to handle large workloads while providing real time cross-referencing, real time measurement, shared image display, similar plane grouping and MPR (Multi-Planar Reconstruction). These powerful functionalities now are combined with ease of use, fast navigation tools and custom hanging protocols.

As a complimentary product, Canon's web server provides tight integration with the PACS environment. Exams, reports and miscellaneous scanned documents are accessible via the web. Physicians throughout the enterprise have access to patient information regardless of bandwidth limitations. Full fidelity images can be viewed using wavelet technology, implemented as a pure Java solution.

Canon continues to grow its installed base, and now has over 200 PACS sites throughout the United States. With many customer sites affiliated with national radiology networks, Canon provides advanced workflow management of data across wide area networks.

Canon Medical Systems was formed in April 1999 to provide medical facilities with a single source from which to purchase both Canon's innovative Digital Radiography and PACS products.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc., provides professional and consumer imaging solutions that give people the Know How to access the latest technology. The company's comprehensive product line includes networked multifunction devices; digital and analog copiers (color and black and white); printers, scanners, image filing systems, and facsimile machines; camcorders, cameras and lenses; and semiconductor, broadcast and medical equipment. Canon employs 12,000 people at more than 30 facilities throughout North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Rorke Data is a full digital storage solutions provider with expertise in Fibre-Channel RAID, SAN, DVD, tape and optical libraries, Unix, NT and Mac environments, high bandwidth networks, digital asset and document management, and engineering and maintenance services. Founded in 1985, Rorke Data is composed of six divisions: Medical Archive Applications, Audio/Video, Prepress, Imaging, Document Management, Engineering and Installation Services. Rorke Data is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bell Microproducts, Inc. (Nasdaq: BELM).

All referenced product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Canon U.S.A. Web site: http://www.usa.canon.com