SonoHeart Hand-Carried Echocardiography System Delivers "Focused" Echo Capability TO Cardiologists.

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2000

New 5.4-Pound, All-digital, High-performance Echocardiography System

Now Installed in Physicians Offices Across the United States

SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO) today featured the new SonoHeart(TM) echocardiography system at the 49th annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) meeting.

The SonoHeart system, weighing only 5.4 pounds, delivers all-digital echocardiography with 2D and PowerMap(TM) Directional Color Power Doppler images on demand. The new system is indicated for focused echocardiography, a procedure that enables trained physicians to perform a brief and accurate cardiac assessment at the point of care.

The ultra-portable SonoHeart system enables physicians to augment routine auscultation (listening to the heart with a stethoscope) during an exam by "looking inside" to detect problems instead of listening only. SonoHeart hand-carried echocardiography enables physicians to instantly assess and document left ventricular function, chamber size, source of murmurs, wall thickness, valve regurgitation, cardiomyopathies and more. Performing focused echocardiography during a physician exam can also allow physicians to rule out, or confirm, the need for a more time intensive and costly full echocardiography exam.

SonoSite began shipment of the SonoHeart system in early February and the response by physicians about the benefit of having this tool in their practice has been positive.

"The history and physical examination often raise questions which are amenable to a screening ultrasound evaluation," said Anthony DeMaria, M.D., M.A.C.C., Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, Calif. "The SonoHeart system offers the potential to perform a focused echo exam immediately and determine if there is a need for a full echo study."

"We will present data at ACC from a study performed in San Diego with traditional ultrasound equipment. This study shows that a brief focused echo exam could potentially improve the accuracy of referral for comprehensive echocardiography, in certain patient sub-groups," said Bruce Kimura, MD, FACC, Director of Non-Invasive Imaging, Scripps-Mercy Medical Center, San Diego, CA. "Compared to using comprehensive echocardiography indiscriminately, a focused echo imaging strategy could result in cost savings at minimal risk."

"Although I have a lot of confidence in my skill with a stethoscope, I always find it helpful to reinforce that information with imaging information and focused echo is very helpful in this regard." said Richard E. Kerber, Director of Cardiovascular Noninvasive Laboratories, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa.

"We are pleased to be receiving such positive feedback on our innovative products," said Kevin M. Goodwin, president and CEO of SonoSite. "We began SonoSite with a mission to bring highly portable ultrasound diagnostics to the point-of-care. This kind of response from leading physicians validates that mission."

SonoSite, Inc., (www.sonosite.com) headquartered in Bothell, Wash., develops, manufactures, markets and sells a new class of hand-carried, all-digital ultrasound systems designed to have the image quality of larger, more expensive systems but small enough to be hand-carried from bedside to bedside and room to room in many clinical settings. SonoSite became an independent public company on April 6, 1998, as a result of a spin-off from ATL Ultrasound.

Forward-looking Information and the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Certain statements in this press release, including statements concerning market acceptance, performance and shipment timing are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," variations of such words, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not guaranties of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could affect SonoSite's actual results include, among others, uncertainties as to the Company's ability to manage potential problems, delays or unanticipated expenses, and product acceptance by the medical community. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon these forward-looking statements that speak only as to the date of this release. Reference is made to SonoSite's latest annual report on Form 10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange.