GE Healthcare launches new ultrasound technology

GE Healthcare has announced today the availability of HDlive and Volume SRI (Speckle Reduction Imaging) for women’s health imaging products within its Voluson Expert series platform. These innovations are being showcased for the first time in the United States at the 2011 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) congress in Los Angeles.

HDlive is one of the new key rendering tools on the new dynamic rendering engine on the Expert Series platform. This tool provides exceptional anatomical realism and helps increase depth perception. The innovative imaging capability can help medical professionals achieve a deeper understanding of relational anatomy, help enhance diagnostic confidence andultimately improve patient communication. This is available on the Voluson E8 and E8 Expert.

Instead of single slice imaging, Volume SRI (Speckle Reduction Imaging) utilizes volumetric, multi-plane imaging to enhance the speckle reduction in clinical images. The tool helps improve 3D/4D image quality in multi-planarstudies and rendered mode, and also provides an enhanced smoothing effect on rendered images.

“The imaging potential of these latest GE Healthcare innovations is unlike anything we’ve developed in the past,” said Karl-Heinz Lumpi, General Manager of Women’s Health Ultrasound for GE Healthcare. “Through the HDlive and Volume SRI technologies, we intend to make advanced women’s health imaging through ultrasound more prevalent and accessible. These technologies have the potential enables better diagnosis for more patients around the world.”

Company adds new lighter, more powerful transducers toportfolio

Complementing the latest hardware additions to the Voluson Expert series new advanced transducer technology. Optimized for OB/GYN purposes, the following 2D and 3D/4D probes enable quality images across a wide range of general and specialized exams.

• RAB6-D – New ultra-light volume transducer - User fatigue can be a thing of the past with GE Healthcare’s next generation volume transducer which is 40% lighter than the previous version. Its ergonomic design provides outstanding image quality in 2D and 3D/4D, while sitting comfortably in theoperator’s hand.
• C4-8-D – New wideband transducer - The high frequency andsmall footprint of this transducer helps provide exceptional high-resolution obstetrical images during each trimester.