Sony Medical Systems

Nov 13, 2005

Sony will add several digital and analog printers to its portfolio.

For ultrasound printing, Sony is debuting the digital UP-D897 and analog UP-897MD monochrome printers. Both printers provide 325-dpi, A6 output in about two seconds, according to the Park Ridge, NJ-based firm. UP-D897 includes a USB 2.0 interface for connecting to a digital ultrasound system.

In works-in-progress developments, Sony will be demonstrating its UP-970AD and UP-990AD A4 monochrome printers. Targeted at mobile C-arm, ultrasound, cardiac cath, and related medical-cart applications, both printers output from both digital and analog signals. UP-990AD prints on both blue film and thermal paper, while UP-970AD supports paper only, according to the vendor.

Sony is also showing UP-D72XR, a monochrome digital imager designed for use with mobile C-arms, ultrasound, and cardiac cath images. It supports both USB and parallel interfaces; a USB connection allows users to work in the Microsoft Windows environment and to link to the vendor's FilmStation dry imager. UP-D72XR provides 8 x 10-inch thermal prints on both blue film and paper.

Another new entrant, UP-D77MD, is a color dye-sublimation DICOM imager, offering 300-dpi letter-size output and a 90-second print speed, Sony said. It can fine-tune color output to match a display without altering grayscale values, according to the firm. The imager is targeted at nuclear medicine, PET/CT, and 3D CT applications.

In other PACS accessories, Sony is introducing DVO-1000MD, a medical-grade DVD recorder. The recorder employs MPEG 2 video compression, as well as Sony's DVORecovery and DVOFast technology. DVORecovery utilizes a built-in, 80-GB hard drive to protect recorded video from accidental power outages, while DVOFast allows for DVD recording and removal in less than 1.3 minutes after the eject button is pressed, Sony said.

By Erik L. Ridley
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
November 14, 2005