New Product Extends Kodaks Portfolio of 3-D Imaging Offerings
Toronto, Ontario, April 26, 2007 Canadian dental professionals may now obtain state-of-the-art, full-cranial cone-beam CT (computed tomography) technology from Kodak that provides highly accurate 3-D radiographic images for the diagnosis, planning and treatment of oral surgery, orthodontics and other dental procedures.
Through a distribution agreement with IMTEC Imaging, Kodak is now the exclusive distributor of the ILUMA Ultra Cone-Beam CT Scanner for the dental markets in *Canada and the United States. The agreement expands Kodaks broad dental digital imaging portfolio to include 3-D radiographic imaging technology in addition to the 3-D surface imaging system already marketed by Kodak.
The ILUMA Scanner provides full-cranial, highly accurate 3-D radiographic images for the diagnosis, planning and treatment of orthodontics, implantology, TMJ analysis, airway assessment, oral and orthognathic surgery and other dental procedures. Undistorted, anatomically correct views of the jaws, teeth and facial bones along with cross-sectional (bucco-lingual), axial, coronal, sagittal, cephalometric and panoramic views are easily generated. Three-dimensional images enable a level of anatomical accuracy and patient care not possible with 2-D technologies.
With the addition of cone-beam CT technology to our portfolio, we are reiterating our commitment to providing innovative, high-quality, easy-to-use, affordable imaging systems to dental professionals, said Rich Hirschland, General Manager for Kodaks Dental Systems group. With the tremendous success in sales we have experienced in the US market, we are confident the ILUMA Scanner will be popular with Canadian dental professionals and will help them expand their service offerings, due to its unique combination of high image quality and easy-to-use software.
10 Years of CT Experience
The ILUMA Scanner combines 10 years of industrial CT experience gained from high-technology industriessuch as defense and aerospacewith dental expertise in implants, surgical guides and 3-D model creation. The ILUMA Scanner includes proprietary FlashCT Acquisition and Image Reconstruction Software that minimizes patient motion and metal artifacts and reconstructs images across multiple processors. Motion and metal artifact reduction are critical to providing ultra-high quality 3-D images for dental applications. The FlashCT technology won the prestigious R&D 100 Award in 2003.
Additionally, the FlashCT technology has been used by Align Technology, Inc. for their INVISALIGN manufacturing process since 2002. Expertise gained from developing 3-D models from dental impressions has been incorporated into the ILUMA Scanner.
High Image Resolution, Small Size
Like Kodaks other dental imaging products, the ILUMA Scanner has one of the highest image resolutions in the industry. It delivers 14-bit grayscale images and 0.09 mm3 voxel size, the measure of 3-D image resolution. The image resolution is one of the best in the dental industry, said Ronald A. Bulard, DDS, Co-Chairman of IMTEC Imaging. The ILUMA Vision 3-D Software offers motion and metal artifact reduction tools, helping create clearer images. The scanner can reconstruct images at 0.4, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.0936 voxel size without the need for extra scans.
The attractive, open-machine format helps put the patient at ease and is designed for stability, giving the clinician more control during the examination.
Easy-to-Use, Powerful Software Tools
The ILUMA 3-D Vision Software was engineered for ease-of-use, but also provides a comprehensive set of 3-D visualization tools needed by dental professionals to optimize diagnosis and treatment decisions and to streamline workflow. Several of the included 3-D tools are:
Motion reduction and metal artifact detection tools
Automatic generation of standard panoramic, cephalometric and intraoral images
Volume rendering with image presets
Measurement tools for 3-D and 2-D images
Surface rendering of skin and soft tissue
Implant simulation tools
Exportation of 3-D volumes (also called stereolithography or STL) that enable the rapid fabrication of implant guides, custom-bent wires, orthodontic aligners and other patient-customized treatment products
Ability to export images to third-party software tools, such as implant planning tools, that utilize DICOM 3 file format
Kodak plans to further streamline workflow and enhance patient care by integrating the ILUMA Software with KODAK Imaging Software in the future.
There is an increasing demand from dental professionals to obtain and utilize 3-D images within their own practices, said Tim Thompson, CEO of IMTEC Corporation. Adding the ILUMA Scanner to Kodaks broad portfolio of imaging solutions will enable Kodak customers to realize the power of using 3-D in diagnosis, planning and treatment.
For more information on the new relationship between Kodak and IMTEC Imaging, contact Kodak in the US at 1-800-944-6365 or visit www.kodak.com/dental.
About Kodaks Dental Systems Group
Kodaks Health Group, with sales of almost $2.5 billion, is a world leader in advanced imaging products, services and IT solutions for the medical and dental professions; molecular imaging systems for the life science research and drug discovery/development market segments; and x-ray film and digital x-ray products for the non-destructive testing market. Kodak recently entered into an agreement to sell the Health Group to a subsidiary of Onex Corporation, Toronto, Canada. Subject to regulatory and other approvals, it is anticipated that the sale will close in the first half of 2007. At that time, the Health Group will become a standalone company that will operate as Carestream Health, Inc.
Kodaks dental systems group helps dental professionals streamline workflow and enhance patient care by enabling them to capture, share, print and use images and information easily and effectively. Kodaks dental products and services include: direct-digital intraoral and extraoral dental radiography systems; practice management software and electronic services; dental digital photography systems; inkjet paper for printing photographic-quality digital images; intraoral and extraoral dental imaging films, processing chemistry and x-ray equipment; and a variety of related products and services. Kodak also markets computed radiography systems and COOK-WAITE local anesthetics.
For more information about Kodaks dental products, call Kodak directly at
1-800-944-6365, visit www.kodak.com/dental or contact your regional KODAK products representative.
About IMTEC Imaging
IMTEC Imaging, LLC, headquartered in Ardmore, Oklahoma, was formed as a joint venture of IMTEC Corporation, a global dental specialty products company, and Hytec Incorporated, an engineering technology firm located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The company provides high quality cone beam CT scanners for the dental and medical markets, in addition to high quality engineering design and development services. Hytec developed the high-speed computed tomography system branded FlashCT. IMTEC Corporation sells over 600 dental implant products in the U.S. and eighty-four countries, including the highly popular Sendex MDI Mini-Dental Implant System. IMTEC Corporation is likewise headquartered in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
*Note ILUMA Ultra Cone Beam CT Scanner is still awaiting Health Canada approval.
(Note: Kodak and Cook-Waite are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company. Iluma and MDI are trademarks of IMTEC Imaging, LLC. FlashCT is a registered trademark of Hytec Incorporated. Invisalign is a trademark of Align Technologies, Inc.)
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