Sony's audio-visual portfolio at MEDICA

Sony holds an increasingly important position within healthcare.

The firm’s products for medical professionals include diagnostic film imagers and video printers, recorders, LCD monitors and cameras and even complete medical imaging networks - all seamlessly integrating into the hospital environment, the company reports.

‘Sony has a long heritage in healthcare, and is constantly innovating in the area of clinical AV and IT solutions that are not only at the forefront of medical technology but are also easy to use,’ David Dowe, Director of Sony Healthcare said. ’Reliability, functionality and workflow optimisation are essentials in the healthcare environment and medical service providers are increasingly looking to Sony as a trusted name in the sector.’

The ever-increasing image data generated in hospitals has considerably influenced the firm’s healthcare products development. This is very evident in its range of medical printers. At MEDICA, this range includes high-end diagnostic film imagers as well as paper products that enable fast printing. These are expected to attract not only those working in radiology, but also in endoscopy, microsurgery, pathology, ophthalmology and dentistry. Sony envisages healthy sales for these products during the coming year.

The printers provide high-contrast and high-density images with greater durability, the firm reports. Superior image quality provided by the UP-DF500 Sony Filmstation, for example, results from the 12-bit resolution and 4,096 shades of grey. The UP-DF500 - the only diagnostic imager that can be installed vertically or horizontally - features the world’s smallest footprint.
Fully compatible with DICOM networks, this printer was designed to accommodate the workflow change introduced by networked modalities and allows de-centralized next-to-application printing, Sony reports.

Recording surgical procedures
In previous issues of our journal EUROPEAN HOSPITAL, we have described Sony’s systems installed in operating theatres and teaching hospitals in various countries. You will understand the value of these when visiting Sony’s stand. For example, among them is the world’s first and only medical recorder in full 1080i High Definition (HD) - the PDW-70MD. This was specifically designed to produce high-quality image hospital records, and this includes surgical procedures and endoscopy, HD video archiving using ‘Professional Disc’ and academic presentation material. This system can be linked with standard definition or HD endoscopes of leading manufacturers, such as Olympus, providing large audiences with images of such quality that hitherto undefined intricacies of surgical operations are crystal clear.

Other Sony MEDICA highlights include the European-designed Sony BZMD-1 DICOM Capture Station, which enables surgeons, during surgery, to make comments and simultaneously acquire, display and archive high quality stills as well as moving images. The Capture Station can obtain visual material from most surgical cameras, including endoscopes and microscopes. The HD capable Capture Station is fully DICOM compliant for seamless integration into a hospital or clinic’s DICOM network.

‘The range of products Sony is showcasing at MEDICA not only demonstrates our ability to deliver innovation, but also our commitment to future-proofing our clients against the rapid technological advances being made in the healthcare market,’ David Dowe pointed out.
Take a look at these products, and meet the Sony team to discuss
customised needs, at stand 825 in Hall 15.