Olympus VS110™ Virtual Slide Scanning System Debuts in U.S.

CENTER VALLEY, PA., June 10, 2009 – The Olympus VS110 virtual slide scanning system is now available in the U.S. The system can scan from one to 100 slides at very high fidelity, allowing users anywhere on the globe to view and fully navigate high-resolution images of entire slides or areas of slides. With more than 170 Olympus virtual slide scanning systems installed worldwide, the VS110 is the latest in the series of Olympus automated solutions for digital and whole slide imaging.

The VS110 system is ideal for training, education, consultation, archiving, and research.  It offers enormous flexibility, allowing multiple-magnification scanning as well as an option for high-resolution oil immersion scans.

The Virtual-Z™ feature allows the capture and display of multiple Z focal planes. Above all, the system is easy to use, with simple three-click operation. Three system models are available.

“This robust system allows users to capture accurate slide image data quickly and easily,” said Olympus America's Christopher Higgins, group manager for clinical digital imaging in the Scientific Equipment Group. “Users can customize it according their own needs.”

The system is built around Olympus’ renowned optical and microscope technology. For superior optical performance and scanning flexibility, Olympus Plan Apo 2x, 10x, 20x and 40x objectives come as standard, with optional 60x and 100x Plan Apo oil objectives for high-magnification scanning. The VS110 produces images that are rich in detail and contrast, thanks to its Peltier-cooled, 1376 x 1032 pixel camera featuring low background noise, fast frame rates, high sensitivity, excellent signal-to-noise ratio and a broad dynamic range.

The VS110 comes with feature-rich OlyVIA™ viewing software that makes it simple and intuitive to remotely access its extensive capabilities.  “It is some of the easiest and most comprehensive software available anywhere for virtual slide applications,” said Higgins.

The VS110 is designed for versatility, performance and security.  Slides can be scanned in one location and reviewed almost instantaneously in another via network or web browser. Multiple users can add linked annotations, markers, dictation and files.

In addition to single-specimen brightfield microscopy imaging, the VS110 system can handle tissue microarrays (TMAs). The system documents each of the multiple small tissue TMA cores on the slide separately, recording both the slide and core reference for traceability.

With the VS110-1 model, each slide is loaded manually and a virtual file is created automatically based on the user’s preferences. The VS110-5 allows automated scanning of up to five slides. The VS110-L version has a 100-slide robotic loader for automated scanning; slides can be selected sequentially, at random, or via the software. An integrated barcode scanner ensures that metadata is automatically loaded and linked with each slide’s virtual image.

For more information on the VS110 slide scanning system, contact Olympus America Inc., 3500 Corporate Parkway, Center Valley PA 18034-0610; phone 1-800-446-5967; visit www.olympusamerica.com/vs110 or email christopher.higgins@olympus.com.

About Olympus Scientific Equipment Group
Olympus America Scientific Equipment Group provides innovative microscope imaging solutions for researchers, doctors, clinicians and educators. Olympus microscope systems offer unsurpassed optics, superior construction and system versatility to meet the ever-changing needs of microscopists, paving the way for future advances in life science.

About Olympus
Olympus is a precision technology leader, creating innovative opto-digital solutions in healthcare, life science and consumer electronics products. Olympus works collaboratively with its customers and its affiliates worldwide to leverage R&D investment in precision technology and manufacturing processes across diverse business lines. These include:

• Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive surgical products;
• Advanced clinical and research microscopes;
• Lab automation systems, chemistry-immuno and blood bank analyzers and reagents;
• Digital cameras and voice recorders.

Olympus serves healthcare and commercial laboratory markets with integrated product solutions and financial, educational and consulting services that help customers to efficiently, reliably and more easily achieve exceptional results. Olympus develops breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality for the consumer and professional photography markets, and also is the leader in gastrointestinal endoscopy and clinical and educational microscopes. For more information, visit www.olympusamerica.com.