Hitachi Aloka Medical America Increases Patient Throughput by Pairing SOFIA 3D Whole-breast Ultrasound with the Latest ARIETTA-series Ultrasound Systems
Wallingford, Connecticut, September 22, 2016 --- Hitachi Aloka Medical America today announced the support of its ARIETTA 70 and ARIETTA 60 ultrasound systems with iVu Imaging Corporation’s SOFIA 3D whole-breast imaging system. The Hitachi ARIETTA platform and its long linear transducer enable the SOFIA system to automate the 3D radial acquisition of an entire breast in nearly half the time of previous-generation ultrasound systems.
David Famiglietti, President of Hitachi Aloka Medical America, explained that pairing ARIETTA with SOFIA improves the image quality and speed of whole-breast exams. “In addition to the improved resolution ARIETTA 70 AND ARIETTA 60 provide as premium-class imagers, they also enable SOFIA to acquire more image data in almost half the time. We are now able to deliver scan times of 30 seconds per breast, enabling a bilateral whole-breast study to be scheduled every 10 minutes.” Famiglietti also explained that the benefits extend beyond whole-breast scanning. “SOFIA's unique convertible scan table allows it to support a broad spectrum of conventional manual ultrasound exams when it is not being used for whole-breast imaging. SOFIA with ARIETTA scanners can perform both general radiology and whole-breast exams in a single scan room. This enables mammography providers with even modest volumes to offer their community a solution for patients with dense breasts.”
Mark Stribling, President of iVu, noted “The ARIETTA platform is the latest in a series of game-changing breakthroughs for 3D whole-breast ultrasound. Hitachi ultrasound now enables the SOFIA system to scan eight times faster than its original configuration, while also tripling the resolution.” Stribling added, “At the same time, we are still able to present a single breast volume to the radiologist, clearly showing the structures of the breast in their natively-acquired radial plane along with the reconstructed coronal, sagittal, and oblique views if desired. The result is average interpretation times of about one minute per breast.”
Hitachi Aloka Medical America stated that it will begin shipping SOFIA-capable ARIETTA 70 and ARIETTA 60 systems in the USA in September and will offer a software upgrade to existing ARIETTA 70 and ARIETTA 60 customers shortly thereafter.