Philips EPIQ 5 Ultrasound System: Precision and Reliability for Your Medical Examinations.
The Philips EPIQ 5 ultrasound system represents a groundbreaking advancement in ultrasound imaging technology, boasting the most powerful architecture ever applied to this modality. This innovative platform touches all aspects of acoustic acquisition and processing, ushering in a new era of definitive ultrasound diagnostics.
At the heart of the EPIQ 5 system lies a family of proprietary PureWave transducers and Anatomical Intelligence, offering the highest level of premium performance. This combination ensures exceptional image quality and diagnostic accuracy across a wide range of clinical applications, from obstetrics to cardiology.
One of the standout features of the EPIQ 5 system is its proprietary nSIGHT Imaging architecture, which introduces a revolutionary approach to forming ultrasound images. Unlike conventional systems that build images line by line, nSIGHT creates images with unparalleled resolution down to the pixel level. This breakthrough is made possible by a custom multi-stage precision beamformer and massive parallel processing, capturing an immense amount of acoustic data and performing digital beam reconstruction for real-time images of exceptional clarity and uniformity.
One of the challenges in ultrasound imaging has been obtaining flow information in small low-flow vascular structures. However, with the EPIQ's MicroCPA feature, visualization of low-velocity microcirculation is now quick and simple. This capability enhances diagnostic confidence when evaluating organ perfusion or small vascular beds, providing clinicians with valuable insights into patient health.
The EPIQ platform from Philips goes beyond traditional ultrasound imaging capabilities, offering support for both strain and shear wave methods of elastography. Highly sensitive strain imaging allows clinicians to rapidly assess relative tissue stiffness values across various applications. Additionally, shear wave elastography employs a unique pulsing scheme to generate and detect the propagation speed of shear waves, providing an absolute measure of tissue stiffness. Moreover, the EPIQ platform is designed to support the future of elastography, including quantitative real-time shear wave imaging across different transducers and applications.
With fully integrated fusion capabilities, clinicians can make confident decisions even in challenging diagnostic cases. The EPIQ system streamlines workflows, allowing for fast and effective fusion of CT/MR/PET with live ultrasound. The new Auto Registration feature simplifies image fusion by automatically registering CT and ultrasound volumes. Anatomical information within the CT volume is analyzed and automatically matched with ultrasound structures, enabling quick and seamless image fusion in seconds. This allows clinicians to focus less on setup and more on the procedure, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
Advanced needle navigation is another feature that enhances performance, particularly in challenging interventional cases. Needle navigation aids in procedures such as hard-to-visualize small-lesion biopsies or difficult-to-access ablations close to critical structures. With needle navigation, procedures can be completed in less time and with fewer confirmatory scans. The system includes a reusable adaptive needle tracker and an expanded range of coaxial needle-tip tracked instruments, offering compatibility with biopsy and ablation devices of varying complexity levels. This versatility allows clinicians to perform a wide range of procedures with precision and confidence.
The design of the EPIQ platform prioritizes "walk-up usability," allowing users to perform exams with minimal training. This intuitive approach enhances user experience and efficiency, enabling clinicians to focus more on patient care rather than system operation. Automation plays a significant role in driving efficiency throughout exams. The Real Time iSCAN feature, also known as AutoSCAN, automatically optimizes gain and TGC continuously, ensuring excellent image quality in 2D, 3D, or 4D imaging modes. This automation simplifies the imaging process, reducing the need for manual adjustments and saving valuable time during examinations.
Despite its advanced capabilities, the EPIQ 5 ultrasound system is remarkably lightweight, weighing just 104 kg (230 lb). In fact, it is the lightest system in its class and 40% lighter than the heaviest competitive premium systems. This lightweight design enhances portability, allowing for easy transportation on both carpet and tile floors. Moreover, the monitor folds down to reduce the overall system height during transport, further facilitating mobility. Integrated cable hooks and catch trays add to the system's portability, making it ideal for portable studies in various clinical settings.
Wireless DICOM functionality is another feature that aids workflow efficiency. This wireless capability allows for seamless communication and data transfer between the ultrasound system and other DICOM-compatible devices, such as PACS or workstations. By eliminating the need for physical connections, wireless DICOM enhances flexibility and convenience, streamlining data management processes. Overall, these design features make the EPIQ 5 ultrasound system not only powerful in performance but also exceptionally user-friendly and portable, catering to the diverse needs of healthcare professionals.
