Otawara, Japan, October 13th 2015-Canon Medical Systems Corporation (President: Toshio Takiguchi; Headquarters: Otawara, Tochigi, Japan) has launched global sales of the Canon 3-tesla MRI system Vantage Titan™ 3T / iS Edition (iS: intelligent Solution). In order to fully satisfy the clinical demands, Vantage Titan 3T / iS Edition incorporates the new gradient coil system employed in Saturn Gradient, which enables higher image quality with open-bore MRI systems. It also provides a suite of advanced applications, achieving robust, efficient, and highly accurate examinations in the safe and reliable environments.

Development background

By incorporating innovative RF transmission technique Multi-phase Transmission, Vantage Titan 3T have brought abdomen imaging into the clinical settings, which had been difficult with conventional 3T MRI systems. In order to expand the possibility of 3T MRI systems, the system’s clinical functions are significantly enhanced to provide Intelligent Solutions, which comes from the key system concepts of “Superior and Sophisticated”, “Streamlined”, and “Secure and Serene”. In addition, to meet the market demand for a compact system, the required installation space has been minimized to 36 m2.

Features of the new product

1. ”Superior and Sophisticated”

Incorporating both a large-aperture open bore and higher gradient field output increases heat generation and vibration of the gradient coil during image acquisition, adversely affecting image quality. The new gradient coil system employed in Saturn Gradient system, released in November 2014, features high cooling capability and vibration suppression. Shift of the center frequency due to heat generation and signal dispersion due to vibration are suppressed, which results in high SNR. As a result, high-quality images can be acquired consistently. From Vantage Titan 3T / iS Edition, all Canon 3T MRI models employ the new gradient coil system.

In order to satisfy a wider variety of clinical needs, many new applications are installed in the latest software. More flexible parameter edit supported by a new sequence development environment allows full use of the system capabilities, making it possible to scan with UTE (Ultrashort TE). This technique visualizes tissues with an extremely short T2* value, enabling visualization of regions which had been difficult to depict with conventional MRI systems. It expands the capability of MRI examinations to new regions such as the lung fields.
2. “Streamlined”

Nowadays, there are growing demands for MRI to increase the number of daily examinations to maximize the system productivity. Canon MRI systems provide the answers to support efficient examinations for a wide variety of body regions. EasyTech, a function to automatically set scan slices by analyzing the shape of the target anatomy, has been enhanced to offer both higher examination throughput and reproducibility. The new EasyTech incorporates the advanced scanning plane positioning function: NeuroLine+ to support head scan, CardioLine+ for cardiac scan, and SpineLine for spinal scan. With CardioLine+, in addition to automatically set six basic cardiac planes, further eight-planes setting become available: right ventricle, valve and outflow tract. The newly installed SUREVOITM Cardiac automatically detects appropriate settings for cardiac examinations by recognizing the position of the heart, providing easier and more efficient workflow with higher reproducibility.

3. “Secure and Serene”

The security of medical equipment is now an extremely important issue. Conventional security software programs require regular updating of data in order to provide protection against unknown viruses. Vantage Titan 3T / iS Edition employs Windows® 7 and whitelist-based security software that permits only software programs registered in the whitelist to be executed. Thus the system is protected from unknown viruses and other malicious software, system downtime is reduced, contribution to the spread of infections via networks is averted, and leakage of patient information is prevented*1. Together with Vantage Titan, which is the world’s first 1.5T MRI system to comply with the network security guidelines by the United States Department of Defense, Vantage Titan 3T / iS Edition has received Approval To Operate (ATO) from the United States Air Force*2. Moreover, alert functions for system abnormalities have been strengthened, and a quick reset function for the hardware has been added. These functions, together with the conventional remote maintenance function and various other features, help minimize the system down time.

Environmental considerations

For Vantage Titan 3T / iS Edition, new advanced RF coils become available, which further enhance the system performance. The new Atlas SPEEDER™ Head/Neck incorporates a tilt mechanism that helps imaging of elderly patients and patients with spinal cord injuries, in the past making MRI examination difficult to perform. This feature allows such patients to be positioned in a shorter time and permits them to be examined in a more comfortable position. In addition, 16ch Tx/Rx Knee SPEEDER is also available. This transmit and receive coil provides better image quality for knee, allowing to acquire high-resolution images, which is clinically required for knee examinations. Easy-to-operate locking mechanism is applied to this coil, allowing fine patient positioning and enhance daily throughput.

*1:In the blacklist method generally used at homes and offices, data is required for detecting and eliminating viruses. This data needs to be updated regularly, and periodic scanning of the system is required. These processes apply additional load to the system, affecting system performance. In addition, if updating of the data is neglected, this method does not provide protection for the latest vulnerability issues. On the other hand, in the whitelist method that we have employed, only the programs required for MRI operations (which are registered in the security software) can be executed. Thus updating of virus-related data is not required, and stable operation of the MRI system can be ensured.

*2:It is necessary to set “Advanced Security Setting” to ON.

 

Vantage Titan 3T iS Edition

16ch TR Knee SPEEDER
Headneck MRI

 

 

About Canon Medical Systems Corporation

Canon Medical Systems Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of medical diagnostic imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray and vascular, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and MRI systems, as well as information systems for medical institutions. Canon Medical Systems Corporation has been providing medical products for over 80 years. Canon Medical Systems Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon. Visit Canon Medical Systems Corporation’s web site at https://global.medical.canon/

Vantage Titan and SUREVOI are trademarks of Canon Medical Systems Corporation.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Otawara, Japan, October 13, 2015 – Canon Medical Systems Corporation (“Canon”) announced today that Canon has completed the acquisition of the outstanding shares of Olea Medical SA (“Olea”), following approval from the French Ministry of Economy.

Olea Medical
This acquisition enables Canon to accelerate the growth of its MRI business and offer new clinical added value to healthcare providers by leveraging Olea’s cutting-edge software technology for advanced post-processing and image analysis as well as its broad relationships with the world’s key research institutions and customers.

“This partnership means we will benefit from both Canon and Olea’s strengths to accelerate innovation and enhance our global presence”, said Toshio Takiguchi, President and CEO of Canon Medical Systems Corporation, “Through the integration of both R&D teams we believe we could bring the innovative solutions and products to play an important role in the development of MRI systems.”

Fayçal Djeridane, President and CEO of Olea Medical SA stated: “This is great news for Olea’s customers and our fabulous team, and we are happy and proud to join the Canon family. We are convinced this is the right strategy to pursue our commitment to provide a widely accessible, complete package of simple, safe, fast, and accurate tools for full-body image post processing, in order to help doctors improve the diagnosis and follow-up process for patients’ benefit worldwide.”

Canon will also be able to provide the multi-modality solutions by integrating Olea’s post-processing software with “Vitrea”, a widely known enterprise and scanner-connected workstation by Vital Images Inc., another subsidiary of Canon, to improve collaboration among experts, consolidate and standardize workflows and enhance diagnostic confidence.

About Olea Medical

Olea Medical™ designs and markets innovative medical imaging applications that significantly improve diagnostic processes and treatment evaluation. Created in July 2008, Olea Medical has continuously increased its portfolio of innovative vendor-neutral software applications for MRI and CT imaging post-processing, including emergency settings-dedicated ones. Olea Medical’s competitive solutions allowing to speed-up and enhance diagnosis process are now implemented in major health care centers all over the world, and Olea Medical aims to becoming the leading provider of safe and accurate medical imaging software. More information at www.olea-medical.com

About Canon Medical Systems Corporation

Canon Medical Systems Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of medical diagnostic imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray and vascular, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and MRI systems, as well as information systems for medical institutions. Canon Medical Systems Corporation has been providing medical products for over 80 years. Canon Medical Systems Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon. Visit Canon Medical Systems Corporation’s website at www.toshibamedicalsystems.com

About Canon

Canon Corporation, a Fortune Global 500 company, channels world-class capabilities in advanced electronic and electrical product and systems into five strategic business domains: Energy & Infrastructure, Community Solutions, Healthcare Systems & Services, Electronic Devices & Components, and Lifestyles Products & Services. Guided by the principles of The Basic Commitment of the Canon Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future”, Canon promotes global operations and is contributing to the realization of a world where generations to come can live better lives.

Founded in Tokyo in 1875, today’s Canon is at the heart of a global network of over 580 consolidated companies employing over 199,000 people worldwide, with annual sales surpassing 6.6 trillion yen (US$55 billion).

To find out more about Canon, visit www.toshiba.co.jp/index.html

Olea Medical is a trademark of Olea Medical SA.

CONTACT:

Teruhiko Kogane

Phone: +81-287-26-5100

E-mail: teruhiko.kogane@toshiba.co.jp

FC Barcelona and Canon Medical Systems have announced a five-year medical partnership deal. This is the first partnership of its kind agreed with a football club of “La Liga BBVA”.

Partnership benefits will include 13 ultrasound systems: 3 Aplio™ 500 Platinum Series , 2 Aplio™ 300 Platinum Series, 1 Aplio™ 300 CV Platinum, 2 Xario™ 200, 5 Viamo™, as well as a 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging System, Vantage Titan™ 3T Saturn, that will be installed at the Medical Service facilities in Sant Joan Despí. The Club will have access to the Canon ultrasound and MRI engineering departments, which will provide the last developments in diagnostic imaging, support and counsel for the Barça doctors.

FC Barcelona Member of the Board, Dr. Jordi Monés, explained why the Club had chosen Canon: “We are very satisfied with this deal. Canon is a prestigious international brand that is a leader in diagnostic imaging and with a great commitment to scientific investigation. This agreement strengthens our diagnostic capacity with one of the most important global brands in the medical field and is a further step into Japan where FC Barcelona has an immense supporter base.”

”By partnering with FC Barcelona, one of the top-performing clubs in the world, Canon hopes to help improve the healthcare of the most elite and young athletes – not only in football but also in all the sports in which the FCB is present: basketball, handball, futsal, roller hockey and its amateur sections,” said Mark Holmshaw, Canon Medical Systems Europe B.V.’s Vice President Sales, Service and Marketing. “We look forward to bringing our leading innovation products and services to this unique club while expanding awareness of our commitment towards the quality of life of people around the globe.”

Mr. Toshio Takiguchi, Canon Medical Systems Corporation’s President and CEO, adds, ”We are happy to have our leading global brand partner with one of the best clubs in the world, FC Barcelona. This partnership will strengthen both brands as they continue their passion for the sport and the values associated with it. Those values that FCB represents such as respect, effort, ambition, teamwork and humility are also relevant in our company’s culture.”

FCB joint logo

About Canon Medical Systems Europe

With headquarters in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, Canon Medical Systems Europe (CMSE) markets, sells, distributes and services radiology and cardiovascular systems, including CT, MR, ultrasound, X-ray and cardiovascular equipment, and coordinates clinical diagnostic imaging research for all modalities in Europe. For more information, visit the CMSE website at http://toshiba-medical.eu

About Canon Medical Systems Corporation

Canon Medical Systems Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of medical diagnostic imaging systems and comprehensive medical solutions, such as CT, X-ray and vascular, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and MRI systems, as well as information systems for medical institutions. Canon Medical Systems Corporation has been providing medical products for over 80 years. Canon Medical Systems Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon. Visit Canon Medical Systems Corporation’s website at https://global.medical.canon

About Canon

Canon Corporation, a Fortune Global 500 company, channels world-class capabilities in advanced electronic and electrical product and systems into five strategic business domains: Energy & Infrastructure, Community Solutions, Healthcare Systems & Services, Electronic Devices & Components, and Lifestyles Products & Services. Guided by the principles of The Basic Commitment of the Canon Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future”, Canon promotes global operations and is contributing to the realization of a world where generations to come can live better lives.

Founded in Tokyo in 1875, today’s Canon is at the heart of a global network of over 580 consolidated companies employing 199,000 people worldwide, with annual sales surpassing 6.6 trillion yen (US$55 billion). To find out more about Canon, visit http://www.toshiba.co.jp