GE gets clearance for NT workstations

GE Medical Systems has received Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance for its Platinum line of Windows NT-based diagnostic and clinical review workstations. The workstations, which will also employ Java technology, are scheduled for a fourth-quarter commercial release, according to the Milwaukee company.

The regulatory approval marks an important milestone for GE in its quest for PACS market dominance. With customer interest centering on systems based on the Microsoft platform, many market watchers consider a lack of an NT-based offering a liability. GE's PACS is currently based on the Macintosh platform.