• Alma Lasers (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) reported FDA clearance for the UniForm handpiece. The UniForm is the fifth module available on the Accent XL radio frequency device. The UniForm has received FDA clearance for "the temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite." The UniForm handpiece is made of Alma's UniPolar technology for the delivery of RF therapeutic heat into the dermal and subdermal tissue, accompanied by a mechanical massager component. The mechanical component increases circulation in the subcutaneous tissues producing superior results. The UniForm handpiece uses the company's IN-Motion Technology that gradually heats the layers of skin to the target therapeutic temperature, so there is no risk of injury to the patient and allows the procedure to be virtually pain-free.

• Oxygen Biotherapeutics (Costa Mesa, California) said it has submitted a preliminary Request For Designation (RFD) to the FDA for its first wound care product. The product is Oxycyte Gel in a single-dose packaging delivered as an ointment onto wounds and is protected by a standard bandage. Oxycyte is the company's perfluorocarbon therapeutic oxygen carrier.

• RaySearch Laboratories (Stockholm, Sweden) and TomoTherapy (Madison, Wisconsin) said that the new software solution, SharePlan, has received FDA clearance. SharePlan is an advanced treatment planning solution that enables transfer of treatment plans between TomoTherapy HioArt systems and conventional linear accelerators. The product uses sophisticated algorithms to automatically generate a selection of deliverable high-quality IMRT plans based on an existing HioArt plan. The companies said this time-saving concept is an important tool for optimizing patient benefit and throughput at clinics that are introducing a Hi-Art system into an environment with existing conventional linear accelerators.

• Royal Philips Electronics (Andover, Massachusetts) has launched a new ultrasound system, which focuses on helping clinicians deliver high-quality care for a full range of women's health needs. The HD9 system combines advanced imaging technology, including 3-D and 4-D capabilities, in an easy-to-use and reliable system for obstetrics, gynecology and breast imaging. The HD9's features include: Philips Live iSlice, which enables clinicians to focus on specific areas of interest within a volume and find images with the best views and content, making for more confident diagnoses; Spatio-Temporal Image Correlation (STIC) to evaluate fetal heart anatomy and function by allowing clinicians to create a volume image that can be displayed and interrogated during playback; Tissue Specific Imaging technology additionally allows the system to be optimized for a specific patient or examination type, to provide excellent imaging quality with little need for optimization.