Film-less, Digital Cardiac Systems Help Reduce Costs, Improve Productivity.

and Cardiology Associates in Lubbock, Texas, created Methodist Heart Center, the largest tertiary care center between Atlanta and Los Angeles, to improve and enhance comprehensive cardiac care by centralizing clinical services.

Nearly 1,000,000 American live are cut short annually by heart disease and other cardiac problems.

The first cardiac care center in Texas, the Methodist Heart Center has been recognized as a national model for its innovative design. On the third floor o the 142,000-square foot facility are six cardiac catheterization laboratories, each a mirror image of the other, built around a central supply facility. This design provides easy accessibility for clinicians, helps reduce inventory and costs and increases efficiency.

The cardiac labs, from Toshiba, are used for cardiac angiography, a high-performance X-ray technology which allows physicians to view live motion pictures of blood flow through the arteries. They help clinicians evaluate patients prior to certain treatments for cardiovascular disease, for pre-operative evaluation of coronary arteries, for post-operative evaluation o coronary artery bypass surgery and for interventional treatment of coronary heart disease.

"Methodist Heart Center is committed to investing in the latest advances in cardiovascular technology," said Carol Fannin, administrative director, Cardia Catheterization Department. "With the new angiography systems which provide greater detail of the vasculature and help pinpoint problem areas quicker, our physicians are better able to identify and treat a growing percentage of heart conditions with fewer surgical procedures."

An integral aspect of the angiography system is the CCD camera technology whic provides high-resolution digital images and eliminates the delay and expense o film. D2 broadcast digital cassettes, which replace cine film, are used to review and explain procedures to the patient and family. If the patient is symptomatic, peripheral vascular and intracranial images can be acquired durin the same procedure.

"We selected the Toshiba systems because of the image quality, the digital acquisition rates, the image storage capabilities, the ease of use and versatility," said Fannin. "With the cine-less operation alone we are projecting $200,000 in savings this year."

One of the six cardiac catheterization labs is a bi-plane system used particularly when the limitation of contrast is important. Bi-plane cardiac catheterization systems with the ability to obtain images at complex angles ar very important in the treatment of children and infants because they provide dual images of the heart simultaneously. They are also important for cases of cardiac arrhythmia where placement of the catheter may be difficult.

Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., with headquarters in Tustin, markets, sells, distributes and services diagnostic imaging systems. In addition to vascular and general X-ray, Toshiba's imaging products include CT, MRI, nuclea medicine and ultrasound. Toshiba America MRI, Inc., is a subsidiary of TAMS an has responsibility for research and development, engineering and manufacturing of diagnostic imaging equipment in the United States.

CONTACT: Toshiba America Medical

Catherine M. Eilts, 714/669-4140