Barco launches breakthrough 6MP color LCD display system for flexible, bezel-free PACS imaging

RSNA Annual Meeting, Chicago, USA, 25 November 2007 – Medical imaging innovator Barco has unveiled an ingenious PACS display system designed to further enhance flexibility and productivity in diagnostic imaging. The new system introduces the industry’s first 30-inch color LCD that can be used as two seamless 3 MegaPixel heads or one wide-screen 6 MegaPixel display. This wide-screen bezel-free desktop offers radiologists the freedom to organize their workspace just the way they want it.

“The diagnostic community needs versatile PACS imaging solutions capable of presenting grayscale and color-augmented modalities on a single high-resolution monitor. Coronis Fusion 6MP DL is the world’s first diagnostic display system that supports this new paradigm with a seamless 30-inch display. This opens new diagnostic opportunities for radiologists as it enables them to read CT, MR, cath and echo cardiogram images, or any other combination, side by side on a single diagnostic screen”, states Paul Matthijs, Senior Vice President of Barco’s Medical Imaging Division.

Coronis Fusion 6MP DL is the first diagnostic system based on the latest, breakthrough In-Plane Switching (IPS-Pro) LCD technology. Developed by Hitachi Displays Ltd., IPS-Pro features the most advanced LCD viewing characteristics on the market. Compared to conventional LCD technologies, IPS-Pro sets new standards for brightness and contrast, even from a wide viewing angle.

Multi-modality PACS imaging
To achieve the best diagnostic precision, Coronis Fusion 6MP DL integrates a number of proven Barco technologies. One of these is the unique diagnostic luminance system, which delivers a DICOM-calibrated luminance of 800 cd/m², allowing for simultaneous reading of color, grayscale and fused modalities. Coronal views, for instance, can now be combined with smaller MIPS and volume rendered images on the same screen to facilitate diagnostic decisions.

Diagnostic precision
Coronis Fusion 6MP DL transcends the uniformity of standard LCD display technology with Uniform Luminance Technology (ULT). The integrated ULT of Coronis Fusion 6MP DL distributes the brightness equally over the entire 30-inch screen surface. Supported by an intelligent backlight design, this reduces non-uniformities caused by the LCD as well as the backlight to less than 10%. As a result, all images comply perfectly to the DICOM standard, no matter where they are positioned on the screen.

Automated Quality Assurance
Coronis Fusion 6MP DL comes with the latest version of Barco’s web-based solution for Quality Assurance. Combined with Barco’s patented I-Guard sensor, MediCal QAWeb ensures fully automated image Quality Assurance with no need for human intervention. MediCal QAWeb tracks, maintains and logs viewing performance, automates QA tasks, initiates display system calibration and establishes an accurate DICOM Look-Up Table calibration.

Increased performance
The new Coronis Fusion 6MP DL display system is driven by a high-speed MXRT display controller, specifically designed to support 3D PACS applications with 30-bit color precision. The PCI Express controller features impressive image download speeds and optimized 2D, 3D and 4D operations through OpenGL and Microsoft DirectX. As a result, Coronis Fusion 6MP DL is ready for the latest 3D CT, MR and PET applications in combination with standard 2D PACS reading.

Coronis Fusion 6MP DL has 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration and is available for commercial distribution worldwide. 

About Barco
Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops visualization products for a variety of selected professional markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.
Barco (Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with about 3800 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of euro 751 million in 2006.

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