October 6, 2014 — A prospective clinical evaluation at St. Elizabeth Healthcare showed that Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.’s Smart Fusion ultrasound technology gives clinicians a worry-free experience, delivering safer and more accurate guidance for liver and kidney lesion biopsies. Out of 35 biopsies observed, the technology successfully sampled the lesion of interest in 34 cases (more than 97 percent). A separate cost-benefit analysis showed St. Elizabeth Healthcare saves approximately $85,000 annually by utilizing Smart Fusion.
The evaluation set out to assess the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided liver and kidney biopsies using Smart Fusion. Available on the Aplio 500 ultrasound system, Smart Fusion allows physicians to fuse live ultrasound with previously acquired computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) images and display simultaneously.
The study evaluated a total of 35 patients undergoing ultrasound-guided biopsies using Smart Fusion between February 2013 and May 2014, including 33 liver lesion biopsies, one renal core biopsy and one renal lesion biopsy. In addition to clinical accuracy, shorter procedure times, less radiation exposure and the absence of invasive surgical biopsies contributed to a higher rate of patient satisfaction.
“The ability to view previously acquired CT or MR scans with live ultrasound using Smart Fusion provides significant benefit to both clinicians and patients,” said Van Young, M.D., interventional radiologist, Radiology Associates of Northern Kentucky, PLLC, and St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “The patient receives a less invasive, accurate biopsy, while the physician can perform confident biopsies, especially with difficult lesions. Both see a benefit in the reduced cost of the procedure.”
“Our work with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and its success with the Smart Fusion technology exemplify Toshiba’s commitment to providing customers with a worry free experience,” said Tomohiro Hasegawa, director, Ultrasound Business Unit, Toshiba. “As healthcare reform calls for improvements in quality of care and efficient use of resources, technologies like Smart Fusion will help providers to both increase the standard of care and minimize financial impacts for all parties.”
For more information: www.toshibamedicalsystems.com.
June 19, 2025 
