SonoSite Begins Delivery of SonoHeart Hand-Carried
Echocardiography System
Business Wire - February 08, 2000 13:50
BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 8, 2000--
New 5.4-Pound, All-digital Echocardiography System Can
Deliver "Focused" Cardiac Evaluations, Faster
SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO) today announced that it has begun delivery of the
SonoHeart(TM) hand-carried echocardiography system to doctors and hospitals across the
United States.
The SonoHeart system, weighing only 5.4 pounds, delivers all-digital echocardiography with
2D and PowerMap(TM) Directional Color Power Doppler images on demand. The new
system, introduced to cardiologists at the American Heart Association meeting in November, is
indicated for focused echocardiography, a procedure which allows trained physicians to
perform a brief and accurate cardiac assessment at the point of care.
"The strength of this system is that its portability expands our ability to perform quality
examinations of patients at the bedside or even in the office," said Natessa Pandian, M.D.,
associate professor of medicine & radiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, and director,
Cardiovascular Imaging & Hemodynamic Laboratory, New England Medical Center, Boston.
"An evaluation with the SonoHeart system allows us to quickly confirm or exclude some of the
major cardiac abnormalities. It essentially is an extension of the physical examination.
Conceptually, one can think of it as an ultrasound stethoscope due to its utility and portability."
"Preliminary studies at Scripps Mercy with traditional ultrasound equipment have shown that a
brief, focused cardiac exam can reveal potentially significant cardiac findings that were missed
on an initial clinical evaluation using only auscultation," said Bruce Kimura, M.D., director,
Non-invasive Imaging, Scripps Mercy San Diego, San Diego, Calif. "The portability, low cost
and ease of use of the SonoHeart system potentially could make focused exams on the heart
more accessible and convenient to perform."
The ultra-portable SonoHeart system gives physicians the freedom to augment routine
auscultation (listening to the heart with a stethoscope) during an exam by "looking inside" to
detect problems instead of just listening. SonoHeart hand-carried echocardiography enables
physicians to instantly assess and document left ventricular function, chamber size, source of
murmurs, wall thickness, valve regurgitation, cardiomyopathies and more. Performing focused
echocardiography during an exam can also allow physicians to rule out the need for a more time
intensive and costly full echocardiography exam that may not be needed.
"After introducing the SonoHeart system at the American Heart Association meeting in
November and receiving clearance from the FDA in December, we are pleased to begin
delivery of our innovative second product," said Kevin M. Goodwin, president and CEO of
SonoSite. "Like our first product, the SonoSite 180 system, the SonoHeart system provides
high quality imaging in an affordable, portable package. Our products improve patient care by
allowing physicians to perform fast assessments at the point of care to diagnose or rule out
problems immediately."
SonoSite, Inc., (www.sonosite.com) headquartered in Bothell, Wash., develops, manufactures,
markets and sells a new class of hand-carried, all-digital ultrasound systems designed to have
the image quality of larger, more expensive systems but small enough to be hand-carried from
bedside to bedside and room to room in many clinical settings. SonoSite became an
independent public company on April 6, 1998, as a result of a spin-off from ATL Ultrasound.
Forward-looking Information and the Private Litigation Reform Act
of 1995
Certain statements in this press release, including statements concerning market acceptance,
performance and shipment timing are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions
and estimates of management at the time the statements are made and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated
in the forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate,"
variations of such words, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their
absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. These statements are not
guaranties of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions
that are difficult to predict. Factors that could affect SonoSite's actual results include, among
others, uncertainties as to the Company's ability to manage potential problems, delays or
unanticipated expenses, and product acceptance by the medical community. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance upon these forward-looking statements that speak only as
to the date of this release. Reference is made to SonoSite's latest annual report on Form
10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange.
CONTACT: SonoSite, Inc.
Investor Relations: Guy Seaton, 425/951-1333
Media Relations: Kelly Ford, 425/951-1284
businesswire.com
At least they put a PR out to stop the bleeding. Allegedly, the missed earnings is the reason for the selloff. Chart is very bearish since broke the 200 day EMA today. We will have to suffer until next earnings report to get some relief. Still not as bad as the April 1999 selloff as far as volume was concerned. Maybe someone should tell Medtronic to buy them for $50 a share.
Jack |
