New GE Medical Systems 4D Ultrasound System Helps Physicians See Fetal Heart Defects for First Time; Fifty Percent Improvement in Image Acquisition Speed.Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers WAUKESHA, Wis. and CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2002 GE Medical Systems, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :GE), today introduced a new 4D Ultrasound technology platform, which will allow physicians to visualize the complete fetal heart cycle without external triggering devices. "This new imaging technique will help revolutionize assessment of fetal heart defects," said Dr. Greg DeVore, M.D., an expert in fetal cardiac ultrasound, and Director of the Fetal Diagnostic Center, Pasadena, Calif. "It will allow the clinician to review heart anatomy in three simultaneous planes with real-time motion. In addition, these moving digital files can be shared easily with medical experts around the world for consultation on any suspected abnormalities." First introduced at the end of 2001, 4D ultrasound simultaneously displays clinical images of the human body in three planes, with the added dimension of real-time motion. Traditional ultrasound images are two-dimensional, forcing a doctor to create three-dimensional images in his/her mind. Ultrasound is a safe and generally non-invasive way for physicians to see inside the human body. The second generation of RealTime 4D Ultrasound increases the maximum data acquisition speed from 16 volumes per second to 25 volumes per second, more than a 50% improvement. "The ability to visualize anatomy in four dimensions is the future of ultrasound," said Omar Ishrak, vice president and general manager of GE Medical Systems' Global Ultrasound business. "By working with our luminary physicians, GE Medical will be able to develop a suite of advanced applications to further develop the capabilities of 4D ultrasound in obstetrics, gynecology and body imaging." For example, physicians can use RealTime 4D Ultrasound at 25 volumes per second in conjunction with GE's exclusive Spatial Temporal Image Correlation technology to help assess congenital heart disease congenital heart disease, any defect in the heart present at birth. There is evidence that some congenital heart defects are inherited, but the cause of most cases is unknown. . The system performs a slow motion volume scan of the fetal heart and the data is assembled through the correlation of time and spatial domains. The result is a 4D real-time dataset that shows one complete fetal heart cycle. The increased acquisition speed of RealTime 4D Ultrasound also has the potential to yield more data for pathology investigations. In obstetrics and gynecology obstetrics and gynecology Medical and surgical specialty concerned with the management of pregnancy and childbirth and with the health of the female reproductive system. , RealTime 4D Ultrasound assists physicians studying the baby's motion, the baby's surface anatomy surface anatomy n. The study of the configuration of the surface of the body, especially in relation to its internal parts. surface anatomy 1. Anatomic structures that can be identified on the outside of the body 2. , and problems related to a woman's uterus and ovaries Ovaries The female sex organs that make eggs and female hormones. Mentioned in: Choriocarcinoma ovaries (ō´v . The technology also has the potential to help patients at risk for breast and prostate cancer prostate cancer, cancer originating in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men in the United States and is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in men. and other conditions. The system's 3D multi-planar view also can help physicians performing biopsies. With these capabilities, physicians can see suspect lesions in three planes, simultaneously enabling precise needle placement. The new, faster RealTime 4D Ultrasound technology is available on the GE Voluson 730 Expert scanner, a companion system to GE's original 4D Ultrasound system, the Voluson 730 Pro. There are currently more than 1,700 GE 4D ultrasound systems around the world. Patients and physicians can learn more about RealTime 4D Ultrasound by visiting www.gemedicalsystems.com/4D. About GE Medical Systems GE Medical Systems is a $9 billion global leader in medical imaging, interventional procedures, healthcare services, and information technology. Its offerings include networking and productivity tools, clinical information systems, patient monitoring systems, surgery and vascular imaging, conventional and digital X-ray, computed tomography Computed tomography (CT scan) X rays are aimed at slices of the body (by rotating equipment) and results are assembled with a computer to give a three-dimensional picture of a structure. , electron beam tomography Electron beam tomography is a specific form of computed axial tomography (CAT or CT) in which the X-Ray tube is not mechanically spun in order to rotate the source of X-Ray photons. , magnetic resonance magnetic resonance, in physics and chemistry, phenomenon produced by simultaneously applying a steady magnetic field and electromagnetic radiation (usually radio waves) to a sample of atoms and then adjusting the frequency of the radiation and the strength of the , ultrasound and bone mineral densitometry densitometry /den·si·tom·e·try/ (den?si-tom´i-tre) determination of variations in density by comparison with that of another material or with a certain standard. , positron emission tomography positron emission tomography: see PET scan. positron emission tomography (PET) Imaging technique used in diagnosis and biomedical research. , nuclear medicine, and a comprehensive portfolio of clinical and business services. For more than 100 years, health care providers worldwide have relied on GE Medical Systems for high quality medical technology and productivity solutions. For more information about GE Medical Systems, visit our Web site at www.gemedical.com. |
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