MCPHS University and Esaote Open State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Medical Sonography Lab in Worcester, Mass.

<0> MCPHSMichael Ratty, Director of Communications617-732-2130orAltisima Media for EsaoteJim Burch, 714-473-5443 </0>

On Tuesday, October 8, will formally dedicate its new Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) lab in Worcester. The new department includes a classroom, offices and a sonography lab. This state-of-the-art lab will be the platform for training students in two new programs: Adult Echocardiography and General Sonography. MCPHS will soon open two other programs in Vascular and Musculoskeletal Sonography.

With the opening of the department, MCPHS will become the first and only bachelor sonography degree-granting program in Worcester and New England. In 2011, the university opened a state-of-the-art DMS lab on the Boston campus. Current enrollment in the DMS program includes a total of 106 students, 94 in the Boston campus and 12 in the Worcester campus. The chairman of the sonography department is Dr. Carmelo Fernandez.

“Ultrasound is still very much a technology in evolution,” said Dr. Fernandez. “The need for highly-trained sonographers is increasing every year, and MCPHS stands ready to meet a growing need in health care delivery by providing cutting-edge education to the next generation of ultrasonographers.”

To develop the new lab, MCPHS collaborated with , one of the leading global ultrasound manufacturers. The company has long been recognized for their strong sonography education system, and MCPHS faculty will have full access to Esaote’s resources to continue their education and keep current with new technologies.

MCPHS acquired two groups of top-of-the-line systems from Esaote: The first group consists of multiple systems. MyLab Alpha is a powerful laptop-based system with capabilities typically associated with larger units. Featuring a combination of traditional and advanced ultrasound applications, MyLab Alpha is used for imaging throughout the body, including cardiac, abdominal, and vascular studies.

The second group of equipment includes 10 systems. Each MyLab Twice consists of a traditional cart-based unit plus an independent point-of-care tablet, so by acquiring 10 MyLab Twice systems MCPHS gets the benefit of 20 sonography units. MyLab Twice is a multi-discipline system capable of performing OB/GYN, cardiac, MSK, breast, abdomen, vascular studies and more. It includes the latest technologies like 3D and 4D imaging, cardiac and arterial measurements, and elastography. Esaote systems are recognized for their comprehensive range of ergonomic transducers that reduce the repetitive stress issues that sonographers may experience.

The Worcester program will prepare students not only to obtain their Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, but also the opportunity to be trained in the top-of-the-line systems. The new generation of sonographers will receive training in 3D/4D, elastography, tissue Doppler, OB/GYN, breast, congenital heart and other areas, making them more marketable in the job market.

, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a leading provider of multi-disciplinary ultrasound and musculoskeletal MRI systems. Established in 1979, Esaote North America is part of Esaote S.p.A., a global leader in the research, production and marketing of diagnostic medical equipment. Esaote is among the largest manufacturers of ultrasound systems worldwide and achieves by focusing only on ultrasound and musculoskeletal MRI. For more information, visit .

MCPHS University (formerly known as Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences), Boston’s oldest college or university, is a private, coeducational institution offering graduate, professional and undergraduate degrees in the health sciences. The university currently offers enrolls more than 6,000 students on its campuses in Boston, Worcester, and Manchester, New Hampshire.