Colorado Hospital First in U.S. to Feature Newest Toshiba MRI.

Partnership Between Toshiba Medical Systems and Platte Valley Medical Center

BRIGHTON, Colo. -- Brighton, Colorado's new Platte Valley Medical Center is the first hospital in the United States - in fact, the first outside of Japan - to install the new Toshiba Vantage Atlas MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) system, introduced last December at a conference of the Radiological Society of North America.

During a Friday visit to the new $138 million Platte Valley Medical Center, opening July 10, Satoshi Tsunakawa, president of Toshiba America Medical Systems, announced a partnership that will make the new hospital a Toshiba showcase. Health care professionals from throughout the U.S. will fly in to preview the new MRI technology.

Tsunakawa said that "Platte Valley Medical Center's vision is aligned with Toshiba's mission" to provide the best quality health care services to local communities. The Brighton hospital's central U.S. location and proximity to Denver International Airport "should be a very good show site for us."

"As a community-owned, nonprofit regional hospital, our partnership with Toshiba is highly beneficial," said John Hicks, hospital president and chief executive officer. "We are extremely pleased to be able to offer leading edge MRI technology to our patients."

The Toshiba Vantage Atlas system provides the latest magnetic resonance imaging capability available in the U.S. today. It minimizes the two negative experiences patients traditionally have with the MRI imaging - claustrophobia and loud noises that can require use of special earplugs.

The new MRI system:

* Minimizes the claustrophobic effect of being inserted into a narrow, long tunnel because it has a shorter magnet and ultra short bore platform - more donut-shaped than tube-shaped.

* Features patented noise reduction technology, reducing noise during operation by up to 90 percent compared with older systems. The American Tinnitus Association recommends the Toshiba MRI to its members with auditory sensitivities.

* Increases the clarity of images through the MRI scanner's patented gradients, the "horsepower" of the system.

* Offers a faster imaging process because the integrated coil system eliminates the need to move the patient in and out of the scanner to change coils in order to complete various procedures, allowing for more images and procedures within a given timeframe.

The hospital also will have a Toshiba Aquilion 64-slice CT scanner that captures precise images of any area of the body in as little as a 10-second breath-hold.

"As medical technology becomes more sophisticated, we can image and evaluate more medical conditions at earlier stages," said Karen Swanson, director of medical imaging for Platte Valley Medical Center. "Early diagnosis enables us to plan more effectively for successful treatment."

About Platte Valley Medical Center

On July 10, PVMC opens its new regional medical center on a 50-acre campus at 1600 Prairie Center Parkway in Brighton, Colorado. It is a non-profit, community-owned hospital, honored as a national award winner for exceeding patient expectations by Avatar International, Inc.

About Toshiba

With headquarters in Tustin, Calif., Toshiba America Medical Systems markets, sells, distributes and services diagnostic imaging systems, and coordinates clinical diagnostic imaging research. Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, an independent group company of Toshiba Corporation, is a global leading provider of diagnostic medical imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, MRI and information systems. Toshiba Corporation has 172,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of more than $62 billion.

Vantage and Aquilion are trademarks of Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation.