The Baton Rouge-based Spine Hospital of Louisiana at the NeuroMedical Center has installed Toshiba America Medical Systems’ Ultimax-i FPD digital x-ray system, making it the first hospital in the United States to do so. Ultimax-iFPD, which helps clinicians perform spinal procedures including myelograms, lumbar punctures (spinal taps), and specialized pain management techniques, features a flat-panel detector with 43- x 43-cm coverage.
When the tabletop is horizontal, the Ultimax-i FPD is capable of accommodating up to 500 pounds—thus creating a more comfortable space for bariatric patients. The system, which enables providers to utilize their current imaging space without the need for major renovations, can be installed adjacent to back walls. This, Toshiba officials say, allows clinicians to provide routine angiography lab capabilities within existing R&F rooms. Also, Ultimax-i FPD’s tilting C-arm provides flexibility while limiting body parts receiving repeated radiation exposure.
Stephen Williams, MD, a board-certified neuroradiologist at the Spine Hospital of Louisiana, says what sets the system apart is its dose-consciousness. “The Ultimax is improving our patients’ safety by limiting radiation dose to the lowest possible amounts for the clinical application,” he says. “This technology reduces radiation without compromising image quality—and that’s huge.”
Toshiba’s director of its x-ray vascular business unit Bill Newsom echoes Williams’ statements, saying that facilities such as the Spine Hospital of Louisiana are the manufacturer’s target market. “Toshiba understands providers like the Spine Hospital of Louisiana,” Newsom says. “And the Ultimax-i FPD has allowed [the hospital] to improve their standards of care with fewer resources.”
For more information about this product, visit Toshiba America Medical Systems.
