Major U.S. Medical Institutions Choose Toshiba's Aquilion 16 CFX CT System for Cardiac Applications.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

TUSTIN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 2003

Aquilion(TM) 16 CFX Provides Unmatched Image Quality for Advanced

Cardiac Studies to Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Long Beach

Memorial Medical Center and Florida Institute for Advanced Diagnostic

Imaging

Leading medical institutions in the United States have selected Toshiba America Medical Systems' (TAMS) Aquilion(TM) 16 CFX multislice computed tomography (CT) scanner for advanced cardiac studies. The Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California and Florida Institute for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging in Port Richey, Fla., are three of many institutions which are currently using Toshiba's Aquilion 16 CFX.

"Toshiba has worked closely with its luminary accounts, Johns Hopkins University Hospital and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and partnered with Florida Institute for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging to develop the Aquilion 16 CFX -- a new standard in multislice CT technology for cardiac applications," said Doug Ryan, director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba America Medical Systems. "With 400-millisecond scanning and the new Cardiac Function Analysis software package, the Aquilion 16 CFX delivers precise anatomical images of the heart and performs enhanced scanning and reconstruction functions for accurate cardiac studies."

At the Johns Hopkins University Hospital, the Aquilion 16 CFX performs CT angiography (CTA) for early diagnosis and treatment of ischemic heart diseases as well as ongoing clinical studies to determine the optimal utilization of multislice CT technology for cardiac applications.

"The Cardiology Division at Johns Hopkins has added the Aquilion 16 CFX to its armamentarium of cardiac imaging methods," said Edward Shapiro, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "We utilize the Aquilion 16 CFX with 400-millisecond scanning at 0.5 mm slice thickness that allows isotropic spatial resolution and a high degree of temporal resolution. The system provides 3-D imaging which is astounding in its detail, and remarkable in its ease-of-use and speed of image acquisition."

Long Beach Memorial Medical Center is one of the first U.S. medical facilities to receive Toshiba's 16-slice CT scanner. As one of the largest private hospitals on the West Coast, it is nationally recognized for its excellence in healthcare. In addition to its 54-bed emergency department, a pediatric hospital and high-volume intensive care units, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center has recently expanded its practice with the Aquilion 16 CFX to perform clinical cardiac applications, including calcium scoring (through Vital Images' Vitrea workstation) and coronary CTA.

"With the Aquilion 16 CFX, we dramatically improved the way we manage and deliver healthcare to our community," said John Renner, M.D., chairman and medical director of the Department of Radiology, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. "In addition, the Aquilion 16 CFX has enabled us to expand our practice area to include cardiac imaging with huge growth opportunities for our hospital."

The Florida Institute for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging is a state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging center offering the most complete medical imaging services in the southeastern United States Equipped with the Aquilion 16 CFX, the imaging center conducts advanced cardiac clinical applications, such as cardiac CT angiography and CT fluoroscopy.

"With more than 225 cardiac CTAs performed with the Aquilion 16 CFX, we are seeing tremendous results and benefits for our patients," said Dr. Steven Strobbe, administrative physician, Florida Institute For Advanced Diagnostic Imaging. "One of the most important benefits of the Aquilion 16 CFX is its outstanding image quality produced by the Aquilion's 400-millisecond scanning. We now have the ability to image the heart and identify soft plaque in the coronary arteries for early detection of heart attacks -- which is something we could not do previously without invasive procedures. Now, we are better equipped to recommend appropriate treatment for heart attacks at the earliest stages."

A New Standard in CT Cardiac Imaging

Toshiba's Aquilion 16 CFX is designed to deliver a full array of cardiac imaging capabilities. The Selectable Slice-thickness Multi-row Detector (SSMD) is unique to the Aquilion 16 CT scanner, and makes it the world's most advanced multislice helical CT system. The SSMD allows up to seven varying image slice thicknesses, from 0.5 mm to 8 mm, which can be selected based on the objectives of the examination. The Aquilion 16 CFX generates up to 40 slices per second using the SSMD and permits simultaneous 16-slice acquisition per 400-millisecond gantry rotation for volumetric data acquisition.

The new Cardiac Function Analysis package, which consists of sophisticated and adaptive reconstruction software, enables the Aquilion 16 CFX to produce precise MPR images, volume curves and polar maps, as well as wall motion analysis and functional parameter calculations.

For more information about the Aquilion 16 CFX, TAMS and its wide range of medical imaging products, visit the company's Web site at www.medical.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba

With headquarters in Tustin, Toshiba America Medical Systems markets, sells, distributes and services diagnostic imaging systems, coordinates clinical diagnostic imaging research and has responsibility for research and development for all modalities in the United States. Toshiba Corporation, Medical Systems Company is a world leader in the development of medical imaging equipment, with a product line-up that includes CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and both conventional and vascular X-ray systems. Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. Toshiba has 166,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of over $47 billion.