An Overview of medical solution business of Hitachi group

Hitachi is promoting the medicare business in the medical fields of imaging diagnosis, external diagnosis, medical information, treatment support and medical service with the concept that advancement of medical technology is essential for health and this paper describes its major details including research/development. In imaging diagnosis, Hitachi has apparatuses for MRI, X-ray radiography, X-CT, ultrasonography and PET, which are being subject to continuous technological improvement for patients (the principle, Patient Friendly). Clinical laboratory test equipments are in external diagnosis, where ''LABOSPECT series'', a support system for clinical chemistry, has been recently marketed. Medical information involves the total health-care system of people to connect the medical facilities (e.g., POMR, problem oriented medical record) and national medical institutions (e.g., IHE-J, integrating the healthcare enterprise-Japan). One of topics of Hitachi's res/dev is the molecular imaging like PET equipped with high magnetic field MRI and semi-conductor detector and, the other, targeting therapy with proton accelerator already operating in Tsukuba University and to be operated in The University of Texas. Hitachi is working for turning the dream of healthy and safe society into reality through technology. (T.I.)