Healthcare Industry News: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
News Release - March 21, 2007
TomTec Goes MRI
NEW ORLEANS--(HSMN NewsFeed)--TomTec Imaging Systems, well known for its expertise in 3D and 4D echocardiography as well as for echo information management systems, extends its competence to MRI. TomTec pre-announces a solution for left ventricular analysis in cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (cMRI) at the ACC 2007 (American College of Cardiology). Cardiac magnetic resonance is the gold standard technique for precise measurements of left ventricular volumes, function and mass. TomTec's new application should ease qualitative and quantitative assessment of cMRI data.The current gold standard method for functional LV analysis uses the 'short-axis slice summation'. The major difficulties of assessing mass and volumes with this method are in correctly including and excluding slices in the Mitral valve plane. To overcome these problems, TomTec's upcoming MR-solution combines short- and long-axis slices for a 3D left ventricular analysis.
Like TomTec's 4D LV-Analysis solution for ultrasound, the 4D LV-Analysis MR application should offer doctors more precise measurements, as well as recently established parameters for quantifying dyssynchrony. This includes dyssynchrony cut-off values, such as the Systolic Dyssynchrony Index (SDI), which has the potential to help doctors select patients who are more likely to respond to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT). SDI may also help to identify patients who are currently not considered for it, but may also benefit.
Dr. Martin Hyca, TomTec's Clinical Marketing Manager adds, "The Systolic Dyssynchrony Index that TomTec developed with leading cardiologists is the first clinically validated parameter to separate responders from non-responders before pacemaker implantation. While this method was restricted until now to 3D ultrasound data, doctors may apply it in future even for patients that are difficult to examine with ultrasound, by using MR imaging. This may help even more patients benefit from this method."
TomTec's cMRI application for 4D left ventricular analysis will be available from beginning of 2008.
About TomTec Imaging Systems GmbH
TomTec's headquarter is located in Munich, Germany. The company maintains close working relationships with many leading universities and ultrasound manufacturers. With a large installed base of more than 3000 systems, TomTec holds a leadership position in 2D and 3D/4D ultrasound. Its product line encompasses a wide range of 2D and 3D/4D technology for acquisition, analysis and reconstruction of medical image data. The product line is applicable to the fields of adult and paediatric cardiology as well as obstetrics and gynaecology, radiology, and vascular diagnostics.
Source: TomTec Imaging Systems
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