• Analogic (Peabody, Massachusetts) reported that the FDA has given market clearance for a wide-beam fetal ultrasound transducer designed for use with the recently released FetalGard Lite - NIBP (noninvasive blood pressure) fetal monitor and with the FetalGard Lite, both of which are members of Analogic's LifeGard family of patient and fetal monitors. The single-crystal, wide-beam fetal ultrasound transducer is designed to match the current performance levels of the multi-crystal transducers in the marketplace today. The new transducer produces a smooth, consistent fetal heart rate signal. The transducer is small, lightweight and comfortable for the patient. Because of its sealed construction, the wide-beam transducer has the additional advantage of being waterproof for use in those situations where water emersion is used to reduce stress in labor.

• Cook (Bloomington, Indiana) is introducing at the Society for Interventional Radiologists meeting, which begins today in Toronto, the first high radial force embolization coil that is safe to use in the powerful magnetic fields generated by MRI diagnostic equipment commonly used in hospitals. MReye Embolization Coils are designed to preserve the long-term option of using MRI technology while reducing imaging artifacts by up to 1,900% compared to conventional stainless steel coils. The MReye Embolization Coils retain the clinical benefits found in stainless steel coils, including strong radial force and staying power, yet their higher radiodensity makes them even more visible under fluoroscopy. They are available in a variety of .035-inch and .038-inch configurations.

• Hologic (Bedford, Massachusetts) said a breast cancer research study it funded with Aid for Cancer Research (Boston) evaluated the use of Advanced Image Enhancement (AIE; Providence, Rhode Island) software for examining regions of interest with Hologic's Lorad Selenia digital mammography system. The study reported that the AIE software allowed the radiologist to reach an opinion with more confidence in 20% to 70% of the cases studied, depending upon the radiologist. When asked to rate AIE technology on the ability of the software to improve the conspicuity and detail of calcifications, the radiologist participating in the study rated the software superior in 88% of the cases studied. The report concluded that AIE technology provided a significant advantage for improving clarity of structures in dense breast tissue.

• Nanogen (San Diego), developer of advanced diagnostic products, reported that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance to market its StatusFirst CHF NT-proBNP EDTA plasma test to aid in the diagnosis of individuals suspected of having congestive heart failure (CHF). The StatusFirst CHF product results from collaboration between Nanogen and Princeton BioMeditech (PBM; Princeton, New Jersey), a rapid diagnostic test manufacturer. Nanogen and PBM have co-developed and will co-market the product. PBM will manufacture the product under contract with Nanogen. The StatusFirst CHF test is sold in conjunction with the DXpress reader, a qualitative and quantitative instrument supplied by PBM.

• Polymedco (Cortlandt Manor, New York), a clinical laboratory distribution company, reported the introduction of five tests that have been granted waived status for the SpotChem EZ analyzer: total cholesterol; triglycerides; HDL; glucose and ALT. The SpotChem EZ analyzer, supplied by Arkray (Kyoto, Japan), is an automated compact dry chemistry analyzer that provides physicians with the ability to perform routine chemistry testing in their own laboratory rather than sending patient samples to an outside reference laboratory. The electronically calibrated analyzer eliminates waste by using stable test strips rather than liquid reagents. The SpotChem EZ analyzer processes whole blood specimens, and can run multiple tests simultaneously.