• Ascent Healthcare Solutions (Phoenix) said it has received the industry's first 510(k) clearance from the FDA to reprocess the Lasso 2515 variable circular mapping catheter manufactured by Biosense Webster. With this new clearance, Ascent said it continues to increase its portfolio of EP catheters to offer EP cath labs the ability to most effectively manage their resources while ensuring that clinicians have access to their preferred device to most effectively diagnose arrhythmias. The Biosense Webster Lasso 2515 variable circular mapping catheter has been designed to facilitate electrophysiological mapping of the atria of the heart and is deployed in the right or left atrium. The catheter features a variable loop that easily adjusts to any vein sized between 25 mm and 15 mm. Its adjustable tip provides efficient mapping and is also deflectable for maximum movement. It is available in 10-electorde and 20-electrode configurations. These devices will be the first line of reprocessed diagnostic EP catheters to be packaged in Ascent's thermoformed tray, which has a design that provides greater protection during transit and storage for these catheters with complex curves.

• Aureon Laboratories (Yonkers, New York) reported the introduction of Prostate Px+, the first commercial test to predict prostate cancer progression and disease recurrence at the time of diagnosis. "Prostate Px+ is the first prognostic test to provide this critical information at diagnosis. This technology represents a new integrated approach known as systems pathology that combines molecular biomarkers, histological and clinical information with advanced mathematics," said Dr. Ricardo Mesa-Tejada, VP of pathology and medical director of Aureon Laboratories. "At the time a man is diagnosed, Prostate Px+ will forecast disease progression after treatment, detect high-risk patients presenting as low risk and undetectable by other methods, reclassify intermediate-risk patients and help identify those with less aggressive disease. "

• B-K Medical (Copenhagen, Denmark) reported the release of what it said is the world's first compact surgical transducer with selectable, perpendicular arrays that it says will enable surgeons to more easily access difficult-to-reach sections of the abdominal cavity. The 8824 I and T shaped intraoperative transducer measures only about the length of a matchstick. The small, thin proportions allow access to difficult-to-access and tight areas, while still providing clear, detailed ultrasound images of the liver, pancreas, or kidney. The 8824 allows the surgeon to follow the path of a needle on the ultrasound image when taking free-hand biopsies from the front, back, left, or right of the transducer and is capable of providing the advantages of CEUS1 (contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging).

• Echo Therapeutics (Franklin, Massachusetts) said that it will present clinical trial data at the 8th annual Diabetes Technology Meeting in Bethesda, Maryland. The abstract, titled, "Transdermal Glucose Monitoring Enabled by Prelude SkinPrep System," will highlight the positive results from the most recent clinical trial of Echo's Symphony tCGM System, a non-invasive (needle-free) transdermal continuous glucose monitoring (tCGM) system, in patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The Symphony tCGM System measures the continuous flow of glucose through the skin, which is made permeable with Echo's Prelude SkinPrep system.

• Netsmart Technologies (Great River, New York) reported the general availability release of version 7.5 of Helper, the leading practice management software for individual and small group private practice psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, therapists and social workers. A sample of new features in Helper 7.5 includes: enhanced scheduling, with Microsoft Outlook-style layout and the ability to view and print clinician schedules that show open and completed appointments; enhanced view of overlapping appointments and increased visibility into recurring appointments to assist with scheduling for multiple providers; simplified set-up of secondary insurance company identification numbers and compliance with insurance company requirements for secondary ID "qualifiers" when submitting claims.