Toshiba have given an overview of their new MRI system, the Vantage.

The Vantage magnet is, according to Toshiba, the shortest on the market at 140 cm in length.

The Vantage system also features the Pianissimo gradient system which utilises sealed vacuum chambers to minimise acoustic noise. These are available with a strength of 30 mT/m and slew rates of either 50 mT/m/s or 130 mT/m/s.

Toshiba's SPEEDER multiple-element coils for parallel imaging are available for this system. Four-channel coils are offered as standard with the option for 8 channel coils.

The host system is PC based, featuring an Intel Xeon processor and running Toshiba's Version 5.0 software.

The couch top has a removable option for ease of patient transfer.

Forty Vantage systems have been sold worldwide, including 3 in the USA.

As yet, they are undecided as to whether they will return to the European market. This will be decided in January 2004.