Acuson to shift Aegis miniPACS to Windows NT operating system

Acuson to shift Aegis miniPACS to Windows NT operating system

First NT shipments slated for the second half of 1998

In a move designed to tap into the increasing popularity of the Windows NT operating system among hospital information technology (IT) directors, Acuson is planning to port its Aegis ultrasound miniPACS product line to the high-powered operating system.

Acuson decided to make the transition for a number of reasons, including concerns over the long-term viability of the Macintosh platform, due to financial turbulence at Apple Computer. The move, announced as part of Acuson's new WorkPro productivity upgrade package for Aegis, will also address the growing number of requests from prospective purchasers for a system based on the Microsoft operating system, according to Nancy Keuch Rosa, marketing manager for Aegis.

"As IT directors are planning the overall hospital enterprise-wide network, they're mandating that the platforms be on Windows NT and TCP/IP protocol," Keuch Rosa said.

All functionality, capabilities, and diagnostic quality available on Aegis will be maintained for the Windows NT version, and existing and future Aegis customers will have the option of upgrading to Windows NT when the workstations are available, she said.

"They have the option to migrate to that pathway, and there's a range of non-obsolescence programs available that provide seamless integration if they choose to move to Windows NT," Keuch Rosa said.

Shipments of Windows NT-based Aegis workstations aren't scheduled to begin until the second half of 1998, but other components of WorkPro will be available this year for use on Aegis Macintosh workstations.

A DBPro database export feature will allow data stored on Aegis to be exported into third-party software programs, such as research applications or reporting and calculation packages, she said. Previously, Aegis did not support this capability.

Acuson will also add Internet and intranet capabilities to Aegis with a WebPro feature. Radiologists will then be able to view Aegis cases or a subset of Aegis exams from home using a standard Web browser. The system will employ lossless compression and support transmission via standard phone or ISDN lines, she said.

To help Aegis customers meet the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine's guidelines for documentation of obstetrical work, Acuson will also offer an OBPro component, which will feature an enhanced OB calculation and reporting package.

DBPro, WebPro, and OBPro will begin shipping in the fourth quarter, according to the Mountain View, CA-based company.