Varian Medical Systems has congratulated Mobius Imaging, whose AIRO Mobile Intraoperative CT system received a 2014 Red Dot Product Design award. The system is also a finalist in the radiological and electromechanical devices category for the 17th annual Medical Design Excellence Awards competition. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on June 11, 2014 in New York. Varian supplies the x-ray tube used in the AIRO system.
“Being selected as an MDEA finalist is a testament to the skill and innovation of the Mobius design team, which took this product from a design concept to an FDA-cleared device,” said Stephen Kimmel, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Varian’s imaging components business. “We’re pleased to have played a role in this well-deserved recognition that Mobius is receiving for an impressive system that could potentially make significant contributions to improving medical outcomes and assist with reducing medical costs.”
The AIRO system is small and lightweight, but includes a large gantry opening for intraoperative imaging. The combination of features posed a design challenge when Mobius tried to source materials for its system.
“The challenge was to make it both big and small—big enough in the middle to accommodate larger patients and immobilization devices, and small enough in terms of outer circumference to be mobile,” said Gene Gregerson, president of Mobius Imaging. “So we made the ring very narrow; it is only about 10% of the volume of a typical CT scanner ring. That left very little room for the x-ray tube. Varian developed an amazing piece of technology for us, and it is a key component that makes the system possible.”
Varian had been considering a project to adapt its anode end-grounded x-ray tube design for the mid-tier tube market. The company expedited the development process, creating the basis for the FP1000 CT tube later integrated into the AIRO system.
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