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Why should I refer my patient to an Echelon-equipped imaging services provider?

Echelon is the latest generation 1.5T MR scanner, providing all thecapabilities you expect, plus patient-comfort features not available onother scanners. Echelon is the only 1.5T scanner that allows yourpatients to be positioned feet-first for all exams, making the scanningprocedure as pleasant as possible. Echelon easily manages patients upto 500 lbs, and includes scanning features that compensate formotion, enabling effective scanning of patients unavailable to remainimmobile.

You benefit from consistently high quality diagnostic examinations,combined with the highest levels of service to you and your patients.

he superb image contrast of MRI makes it an ideal

choice for orthopedic imaging.The ability to distinguishbetween cartilage, cortical bone,marrow, and muscle coupledwith multiplane imaging optionsand high spatial resolutionenables accurate diagnosis of abroad range of pathology. Occultfractures, avascular necrosis,tumors and tears are well delin-eated on MRI.

Echelon’s high performanceanatomically designed RF coils,such as the shoulder coil, pro-vide superb penetration of theanatomy for the evaluation ofsmall internal structures. Thearray of pulse sequences avail-able can be used to accentuate orsuppress anatomical structuresto enhance pathology.

Orthopedic Imaging Capabilities

TEchelon provides excellent resolution and tissuecontrast for evaluation of middle ankle bone struc-tures, cartilage, and connective tissue integrity in avery short scan time.

3 mm slices in this coronal wrist image provideexceptional visualization of the carpal bones, softtissue structures, and Triangular FibrocartilageComplex.

Proton density weighted knee acquired with RFfat saturation for uniform suppression of high sig-nal from marrow. Pathology and normal struc-tures are clearly delineated for evaluation of effu-sion and tissue tears.

Coronal shoulder image with 3 mm slices and 12cm FOV. Proton density weighting offers excellenttissue contrast for clinical assessment of anatomi-cal structures and their relationships to each other.

MR Arthrogram of the hip with contrast agent forpathology detection and water excitation fat sup-pression to clearly visualize areas of abnormalitiesin the bone and joint space.

This scan was acquired using 2 mm slice thick-ness and 350m in-plane resolution for outstand-ing anatomical coverage and depiction of the verysmall structures.

RI of the brain excels in thedetection of pathology

because of broad soft tissue con-trast. Multi-plane imaging can beaccomplished without reposi-tioning the patient and withoutvolume CT’s ionizing radiation.Because MRI doesn’t have boneartifacts, the base of the brain,internal auditory canals, and thepituitary are well visualized.

Several methods are available forevaluating the cerebral vascularsystem, including contrast andnon-contrast methods. Time-of-Flight is commonly used to eval-uate the Circle-of-Willis and thetertiary vessels. Visualization ofthe blood vessels from the levelof the Aortic Arch to the Circle-of-Willis can be obtained byEchelon’s ultra fast scanningcapabilities in one acquisition.

Specialized scans are available toassist in diagnosing ischemicbrain tissue. Called DiffusionWeighted Imaging, thesesequences can detect an infarctin the sub acute stage, as well asdistinguish between acute andchronic lesions.

RADAR radial acquisitionreduces patient motion artifact,yielding diagnostic quality scansin even the most difficult toimage patients. RADAR canpotentially eliminate the need forsedation, and enable diagnosticquality scans for pediatric, geri-atric, and other compromisedpatients.

Neurological Imaging Capabilities M

Uniform Fat Saturation provides excellent visuali-zation of the complex lumbar structures andapparent disk abnormalities in a very short scantime on this post-contrast sequence.

Outstanding cervical nerve root delineation andsubtle tissue contrast are characteristic of Echelon1.5T.

Diffusion weighted imaging is highly sensitive tobrain tissue changes after a stroke. High diag-nostic value and extremely fast scan times makeDWI a standard MR brain imaging.

T2 weighted cervical sequence demonstratesexcellent high-contrast tissue differentiation forthis post operative evaluation of the vertebralstructures.

T2 weighted image exhibits exceptional detail ofthe lumbar spine in cross section as well as cleardifferentiation of nerve roots, vertebral and softtissue structures.

The same uncooperative patient is scanned withand without RADAR to demonstrate how it canreduce or eliminate the negative impact of patientmotion on images

R Angiography (MRA) is a non-invasive method of

visualizing vascular structuresand has been proven to beeffective in evaluation of vascu-lar disease with a minimum ofpatient discomfort and risksassociated with iodinated con-trast agents used in convention-al radiography and CT. MRI hasthe unique capability to visual-ize and quantify blood flow.Tools are available for evalua-tion of regions with complexblood flow patterns, includingavascular malformations andaneurysms.

An advanced MRA techniquesupported on Echelon is TRAQ,a time-resolved MRA technique.This ultra-fast imaging methodused in bloodflow kinetics hasgreat potential in regions wherethe arterial-venous transitionoccurs rapidly. This methodresults in a set of images thatdistinctly display the arterialphase, mixed phase and venousphases.

Vascular Imaging Capabilities

MSuperb COW visualization through the Aortic archin this MR arteriogram. 3D processing techniquesallow rotation of vessels for unobstructed views ofabnormalities and pathology.

The COW can be clearly seen with small outer ter-tiary vessels using 3D MRA. Excellent depiction ofthe minute arterial structures is achieved withoutthe use of an invasive contrast agent.

MRA of the renal arteries enables complete eval-uation of not only the renals, but also thedescending aorta, splenic and vertebral arteries,and iliac arteries.

Non-invasive MRA provides excellent visualiza-tion of the carotid arteries and their bifurcationswithout a contrast agent. 3D processing tech-niques rotate images without superimpositionother structures to identify abnormalities.

Other Imaging CapabilitiesCardiacCardiac MR is most commonlyused for the evaluation of con-genital defects, cardiac tumors,and abnormalities of the Aorta.Recently developed techniqueshave expanded its capabilities-from purely anatomical imaginginto functional assessment. Echelon’s cardiovascular imag-ing solution includes pulsesequences, motion compensa-tion techniques and coil tech-nology for assessment of cardiacmorphology and function.

Abdomen/PelvisFast scanning acquires abdomi-nal slices in one breath hold,and respiratory gating reducesbreathing motion. Sequencesare available to visualize theadrenals, hepatobiliary system,and liver, evaluate therapy forreproductive organ disease andprovide detailed images of theprostate gland, fibroid cysts,and tissue abnormalities.Echelon provides a host ofcapabilities to aid in diagnosingabdominal and pelvic disease,such as RADAR to reducepatient motion artifacts andultra fast scanning techniques.

Face/NeckMRI allows enhanced evaluationof facial and neck anatomy.Echelon’s high performance RFcoils maximize image qualityand provide superior coverage.Echelon also provides multiplemethods of visualizing patholo-gy and normal tissue bound-aries for presurgical and prera-diation planning.

T1 weighting results in excellent soft tissue con-trast of the structures of the neck. Small FOVand thin slices provide outstanding image qualitydistinctive of Echelon 1.5T.

This T1 weighted image demonstrates excellentuniformity of fat saturation at larger FOV andgreat soft tissue contrast of abdominal structures.

These examples show how RADAR can help abreath-hold can be avoided and still net a qualityexam. The images are of the same, free-breathingpatient, without and with RADAR.

Black Blood Imaging evaluates cardiac structureswithout the bright signal of blood from the heart.Excellent soft tissue contrast distinguishes details forevaluating pathology and abnormalities.

Bright Blood Imaging is used so that blood withinthe heart appears white, and muscle tissue looksdark gray. High contrast is valuable for clearevaluation and visualization of cardiac function.

Higher Order Active Shim maintains uniform fatsaturation across larger FOVs, important foraccurate diagnoses, as this coronal BrachialPlexus sequence demonstrates.

©Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. 2007All rights reservedMKT-15DE1005-10407/5000/9663DM#: 43836

Printed in U.S.A.

MRI

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gnos

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dgeDrawing upon the wide experience in

magent, gradient and RF technology thathas made Hitachi the recognized designinnovator in patient-friendly MRI,Echelon delivers high-field clinical utilityfor today’s advanced imaging environ-ment. Echelon is backed by Hitachi MedicalCorporation, a recognized leader in imagingtechnology.