Siemens bids for ultrasound leadership

The ultrasound group of Siemens Medical Systems will roll outa new line of scanners designed to establish the division as amajor player in the ultrasound market. The line includes the long-awaitedSonoline Elegra premium scanner (SCAN 4/26/95).

Elegra is based on digital beamformer technology and employs128 channels, according to Lothar Koob, vice president of theultrasound group. Siemens has developed synthetic aperture softwaretechniques that enable Elegra to perform as though it has 256channels, Koob said. The scanner's output will be DICOM-compliantwithout the need for an interface box. Siemens has applied forFood and Drug Administration clearance for Elegra.

Sonoline Prima is an entry-level gray-scale scanner that replacesthe Sonoline 250, 400 and 450 scanners. Both Elegra and Primacomplement the mid-range Sonoline Versa system introduced lastyear (SCAN 11/23/94).

The nuclear medicine group of Siemens will display several newtechnologies targeted at reestablishing the vendor's leadershipin the modality. The group will feature the open-architectureDiacam and MultiSPECT cameras, as well as its digital detectortechnology and Mµsic simultaneous attenuation correctionprotocol.

In digital image management, Siemens will concentrate on alliancesestablished with other Siemens groups that specialize in telecommunicationstechnology. The PACS group is working with Siemens Rolm, a networkservices company that has a wireless phone that can be used toset up a private phone network in a hospital. Another Siemensgroup, Siemens Systems Integration, has experience designing LANand WAN systems.