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Aixplorer is the next generation of ultrasound machines and is based on twenty-one international patents and submissions that are solely owned and solely used by SuperSonic Imagine.

SuperSonic Imagine , a new player in the medical industry, was created in April 2005 in Aix-en-Provence under the direction of Jacques Souquet. Currently, SuperSonic Imagine employs 92 people, including American expatriates and French employees repatriated from
the USA.

SuperSonic Imagine has selected the JFR (Journées Françaises de Radiologie, from the 24th to 28th of October 2008) to present, for the first time, to professionals and to the market, its first product: Aixplorer (Named after its birthplace: Aix-en-Provence, France).

Designed for breast imaging professionals to improve their lesion diagnosis, Aixplorer is the next generation of ultrasound machines and is based on twenty-one international patents and submissions that are solely owned and solely used by SuperSonic Imagine. This technology is made possible through a close collaboration with the “Laboratoire Ondes et
Acoustiques” of the ESPCI/CNRS, Artann Labs (acoustic radiation), and other patents and submissions directly registered by SuperSonic Imagine.

Since April 2008, clinical trials have been testing this technology with prototypes situated in 18 sites around the world; 7 in the USA and 11 in Europe: Germany, Italy and France (at the Curie Institute in Paris, the Timone hospital in Marseille, Centre Antoine Lacassagne in Nice).

Aixplorer

For the very first time ever, an ultrasound system is able to measure and quantify in Kilo Pascal the stiffness of human tissue using ShearWave Elastography.

ShearWave Elastography can capture the movement of tissue that was undetectable up until now, and more particularly, quantify the stiffness of that tissue in real time.

This imaging mode is quantitative, user-skill independent and reproducible. Its acquisition rates can reach 20 000 images per second, 200 times more than conventional ultrasound technology (100 images / second)

In addition, scientists from SuperSonic Imagine have adapted the manageability of video games to medical imaging through a large interactive touch screen that improves the human/ machine interaction.

Breast Imaging: Diagnosis

With more than 40 000 deaths per year in the USA and a rate of 6/1000 in the main industrialized countries, breast cancer remains the second cause of death in women and one of the main concerns of the public health system in Europe.

The technology developed by SuperSonic Imagine, improves the breast diagnosis process, detecting non -palpable lesions as small as 1mm. This technology also assists in diagnosing deep lesions and lesions in dense breasts, difficult to detect using other imaging methods.

Events during the JFR

By Invitation - Open to the press

Saturday October 25th,
at 6:30pm, at the Palais Brongniart – Place de la Bourse, 75002 Paris –

Evening launch for radiologists in the presence of Dr Alexandra Athanasiou (Curie Institute-Paris) and Dr Catherine Balu-Maestro (Antoine Lacassagne Center-Nice).

Sunday October26th,
at 12:00pm, the Palais des Congrès

Lunch Symposium for radiologists, “Preliminary clinical experiences with ShearWave Elastography in Breast Imaging”, presented by:

• Professor Nicolas Grenier, Groupe Hospitalier Pellegrin Tripode – Bordeaux will act as moderator
• Doctor Alexandra Athanasiou, Institut Curie – Paris (Curie Institute-Paris)
• Doctor Catherine Balu-Maestro, Centre Antoine Lacassagne – Nice (Antoine Lacassagne Center-Nice)
  

Source: Supersonic Imagine