SALT LAKE CITY, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is pleased to congratulate Mobius Imaging, LLC, on receiving two prestigious and internationally recognized honors for its AIRO® Mobile Intraoperative CT system: a 2014 Red Dot Product Design Award and selection as a finalist in 17th annual Medical Design Excellence Awards competition. Varian supplies Mobius with the high performance X-ray tube that powers the AIRO system's intraoperative CT imaging.
The AIRO integrates advanced imaging technologies into a compact, mobile CT system that offers procedural flexibility and real-time imaging where and when it is needed. The AIRO system is small and maneuverable, yet offers a large gantry opening, making it ideal for intraoperative imaging. It incorporates a variety of custom components, including a specially-designed lightweight, compact X-ray tube from Varian.
"Our AIRO mobile CT imaging system can be moved from room to room in the hospital; it's not bolted to the floor in radiology like other conventional CT systems," said Gene Gregerson, president of Mobius Imaging. "The challenge was to make it both big and small—big enough in the middle to accommodate larger patients and immobilization devices, and small enough in terms of outer circumference to be mobile. So we made the ring very narrow; it is only about 10% of the volume of a typical CT scanner ring. That left very little room for the X-ray tube. Varian developed an amazing piece of technology for us, and it is a key component that makes the system possible."
"Gene came to us with an idea about how to develop a next generation mobile CT system for the operating room," said Stephen Kimmel, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Varian's Imaging Components Business. "Mobius wanted a system with no compromises, and this required many new inventions. There was no X-ray tube on the market that came close to the specifications Mobius needed; everything was too large and heavy, and would not fit into their gantry."
According to Kimmel, Varian had been working on a project to take its patented anode end-grounded X-ray tube design, which produces tubes that can run cooler and last longer, and adapt it for the mid-tier tube market. "We agreed to expedite the project and so Mobius became the catalyst for the development of what is now our new FP1000 CT Tube," he said.
The AIRO system, with its FP1000 CT tube, won a 2014 Red Dot Product Design Award in the Medicine and Life Science category. The Red Dot organization, which is based in Essen, Germany, awards prizes annually for product design, design agencies and design concepts. This year, a jury of 40 accomplished designers and design experts from across the globe evaluated over 4,800 products that were submitted by designers and companies from 53 countries. The winners were announced in March. More information about the awards and a list of winners can be found at www.red-dot.org.
The AIRO was also selected as a finalist in the Radiological and Electromechanical Devices category of the 17th Annual Medical Design Excellence Awards competition. Finalists were officially announced in the April Issue of MD+DI (Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry) magazine. Winners will be announced at the 2014 MDEA Ceremony on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in conjunction with the MD&M East event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.
"Being selected as an MDEA finalist is a testament to the skill and innovation of the Mobius design team, which took this product from a design concept to an FDA-cleared device said Kimmel. "We're pleased to have played a role in this well-deserved recognition that Mobius is receiving for an impressive system that could potentially make significant contributions to improving medical outcomes and assist with reducing medical costs."
A high resolution image of the AIRO® Mobile Intraoperative CT system is available by clicking here.
About Varian Medical Systems
Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is a premier supplier of tubes, digital detectors, and image processing software and workstations for X-ray imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications and also supplies high-energy X-ray devices for cargo screening and non-destructive testing applications. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 6,500 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and approximately 70 sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com or follow us on Twitter.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elaine Rebele, 801 978 5715
elaine.rebele@varian.com
SOURCE Varian Medical Systems