BOTHELL, WA- March 16, 2009 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for point-of-care medicine, announced today the first remote control for veterinary ultrasound machines and a new transducer for reproductive and musculoskeletal applications in horses and other large animals. The company has begun customer shipments of the new transducer and plans to begin shipping the SonoRemote™ control in the spring. The new L52x/10-5 MHz transducer is the eighth transducer to join Sonosite's suite of veterinary probes and is compatible with both Sonosite's M-Turbo® and S-VetMed™ ultrasound products.
For ultimate exam convenience and efficiency, the SonoRemote control is based on Bluetooth® wireless technology, can be voice or touch activated and can adjust system controls from within a radius of 10 meters. "A wireless remote control is a ground-breaking innovation for veterinarian ultrasonography. The freedom that Sonosite's remote control will provide during an equine ultrasound exam will significantly improve clinical efficiency and safety," said Diane Isbell, DVM, Livermore, California. "With the SonoRemote control, I will be able to maintain a safe working distance between my patient, the ultrasound system and me while efficiently working through my examination.
" Based on veterinarian input, the robust, ergonomically designed L52x intracavitary transducer provides high-resolution imaging and superior image quality, enabling the examination of fine ovarian and uterine structures, as well as the lower lumbar and medial to lateral view of the animal's hip. Built for durability, the technologically advanced transducer features a unique cable jacket built from material engineered to withstand even the harshest of environments. To enhance productivity, the L52x was designed to fit comfortably and naturally in the hand of a veterinarian. With a textured surface, veterinarians can easily grip the probe and keep a firm grasp, without the need for added pressure. Sonosite offers a 2-year warranty on the new veterinary L52x transducer coupled with its industry-leading 5-year warranty on the ultrasound systems and all other veterinary transducers. Vet Imaging and Aloka, Inc., Sonosite's partners for the veterinary medicine market in North America, are distributors of the new transducer and remote control.
About Sonosite Sonosite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. Sonosite's small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 640 people worldwide.
