MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 21, 2008 -- Holland America Line's m/s Amsterdam will offer guests cutting-edge medical diagnostic equipment during the 114-day 2008 World Cruise.

The equipment, a sophisticated ultrasound imaging system called the z.one system, is available as part of four-month study which could determine future use of ultrasound imaging on passenger cruises.

The study is being conducted under the direction of Carter Hill, MD, medical director of Holland America, in cooperation with ZONARE Medical Systems, manufacturers of the z.one system. The technology, will be used in support of diagnosing passengers who need of medical attention during the cruise. The outcome of the four-month study could determine future use of ultrasound imaging on passenger cruises.

"When medical emergencies arise during a cruise of this length, sometimes we must decide if we need to divert from our set itinerary to the closest port offering appropriate medical facilities," said Hill. "We want to do what is best for the patient. With advanced diagnostic technology available, such as the z.one system and trained providers, we should be able to make more informed decisions of these kinds as to whether we can treat a patient aboard and a diversion is unnecessary."

Hill specifically wanted to use the z.one system for the study due to the flexible nature provided by its Convertible Ultrasound platform and premium image quality. Clinicians are able to convert the z.one system, at the touch of a button, from a full-featured, cart-based system into a premium compact ultrasound system, optimizing its versatility in a variety of clinical settings, without sacrificing image quality or performance.

"If a patient feels too ill to come to the ship's infirmary, the z.one system can easily be taken to the state room and the exam conducted there," said Hill. "As future advances occur, we can also upgrade the system to provide the latest clinical applications and continue to offer state-of-the-art ultrasound imaging for our passengers. This is a tremendous economical and clinical benefit."

Unlike most other HCU systems, the z.one system's Zone Sonography software-based architecture allows its performance to continue to improve as greater processing power becomes available. System upgrades can be downloaded via the internet, allowing for fast, convenient advances in clinical capabilities, enabling clinicians to cost-effectively maintain a state of the art premium ultrasound system.

Hill, a graduate of the Universities of Minnesota and Washington, has been practicing emergency medicine for 28 years and has headed up Holland America's medical operations for 20 years. The cruise includes passage through the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, Asia, the Black Sea and Europe before returning to Ft. Lauderdale. Periodic updates of Hill's journey will be available on ZONARE's website (http://www.zonare.com/).

"This is an exciting new undertaking for ZONARE which perfectly fits the scenario of a Convertible Ultrasound platform with premium image quality," said Donald Southard, president and CEO for ZONARE. "The passengers on this trip will be provided excellent medical care under Dr. Hill's direction which will be supported by the latest ultrasound imaging technology. We will be following Dr. Hill's journey with great interest."