On October 9, Olympus announced the launch of its 510(k) cleared curvilinear ultrasound gastrovideoscope.
According to the company, the design the new EUS scope with forward-viewing optics provides a reduced distal tip length compared to its oblique-viewing counterparts. The combination of a shorter tip with wider angulation capabilities (180 degrees up) delivers enhanced maneuverability and handling. In addition, the scope’s straight channel enables therapeutic devices to be delivered directly (or head on) to the target site, potentially providing easier access to regions of interest.
The scope’s enhanced maneuverability and handling offers the potential to improve visualization of fundus diseases, which can be challenging to view and diagnose. In addition, an auxiliary water jet potentially provides better acoustic coupling as well as savings in accessory costs by eliminating the need for a balloon.
The TGF-UC180J is powered by the new, next-generation ProSound F75 Ultrasound Imaging Platform, developed in partnership by Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd., which aids in more accurate diagnosis of diseases and cancers of the GI track and surrounding organs. The scope is also backward compatible with prior generation processors, including the Olympus EU-ME1 and Hitachi Aloka SSD-α10.
