Polaroid Medical Imaging Systems showed progress in developinga 14 x 17-inch version of its Helios dry-processing laser printerat last month's RSNA meeting. The Newton, MA, vendor showcasedother works-in-progress developments for Helios, including
Polaroid Medical Imaging Systems showed progress in developinga 14 x 17-inch version of its Helios dry-processing laser printerat last month's RSNA meeting. The Newton, MA, vendor showcasedother works-in-progress developments for Helios, including networkingsoftware and a storage module for removable disks.
Polaroid began shipping Helios 810 for 8 x 10-inch printingin March (SCAN6/2/93). Polaroid markets the system through OEMsand via a distribution agreement with Picker Health Care Products.
The market for Helios 810 has been restricted to ultrasound,nuclear medicine and C-arm modalities because of the system's8 x 10-inch format. This will change in the near future: Polaroidconfirmed at the RSNA meeting that it will commercialize a 14x 17-inch Helios. The larger format would give Polaroid accessto a sizable new universe of customers, according to Leonard B.Aberbach, president of Polaroid Medical Imaging Systems.
"Questions have been raised about the capability of thistechnology to do 14 x 17," Aberbach said. "We're addressingthat by telling people that 14 x 17 is clearly the next step inour movement of this technology to the market. We're driving hardat this product because we think it has a lot of value."
The system, to be called Helios 1417, will be marketed as aseparate unit from the 8 x 10-inch imager. Polaroid will testthe system at beta sites this year, with commercial introductionlater this year or in 1995.
Polaroid also displayed new networking features for Heliosat the RSNA exhibit. The vendor is introducing image managementsoftware to enable Helios to handle images from multiple vendorsover an Ethernet local area network. The software resides in Heliosand lets users set printing parameters for each device. To furtherfacilitate connectivity, Polaroid is working on an interface toACR-NEMA's DICOM 3.0 standard.
Polaroid's removable disk module enables users to capture imageson a remote or mobile scanner, store them on either a magneto-opticalor Bernoulli disk and transport them to Helios for printing. Theoption will be compatible with disk-based modules on Acuson'sAegis and ATL's Access image management systems.
Both the image management software and the disk storage modulewill be available this quarter.
Finally, Polaroid exhibited a reflective print option for Heliosas a works-in-progress. The technology produces hard copies withan opaque background that can be viewed without a light box. Theoption would be used to create second prints for referring physicians,although Polaroid has not yet decided if the technology will becommercialized, Aberbach said.