Toshiba Works to Improve MR Systems

April 9, 2007 - Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. recently developed three imaging techniques for its MR product line, including the Vantage system, that allows for contrast free imaging during MRA procedures.
Toshiba's equipment reportedly utilizes three proprietary contrast-free imaging techniques that can perform MRA, fresh blood imaging (FBI), contrast-free improved angiography (CIA) and Time-SLIP.
Contrast-free imaging is particularly important because gadolinium, the common contrast agent used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) exams has recently been directly linked to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NFD), a sometimes fatal disease that occurs in patients with renal insufficiency. According to a study by Yale University, 95 percent of the study's NSF/NFD patient pool had received gadolinium within three months of the disease's onset.