K982317 · Chattanooga Group, Inc. · IMG · Feb 1, 1999 · Physical Medicine
Device Facts
Record ID
K982317
Device Name
VECTRA COMBO
Applicant
Chattanooga Group, Inc.
Product Code
IMG · Physical Medicine
Decision Date
Feb 1, 1999
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Traditional
Regulation
21 CFR 890.5860
Device Class
Class 2
Attributes
Therapeutic
Indications for Use
Ultrasound for use in applying deep heat can be used for treatment of selected medical conditions such as the relief of pain, muscle spasms and joint contractures. These conditions may be associated with adhesive capsulitis, bursitis with slight calcification, myositis and soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound can provide therapeutic deep heating between 40° and 45°C. For VMS, Russian, Monophasic Hi-Volt - Relaxation of muscle spasms - Prevention or retardation of disuse atrophy - Increasing local blood circulation - Muscle re-education - Maintaining or increasing range of motion - Immediate postsurgical stimulation of calf muscles to prevent venous thrombosis For Microcurrent, Interferential and Premodulated - Symptomatic relief of chronic, intractable pain - Management of pain associated with post-traumatic or post-operative conditions
Device Story
Vectra series (2C, 4C, 2S, 4S, Pro 2, Pro 4) are multi-modality therapeutic devices. Inputs include electrical signals for stimulation and ultrasonic energy for thermal therapy. Device transforms electrical power into therapeutic ultrasound (deep heating 40-45°C) and various electrical stimulation waveforms (VMS, Russian, Monophasic Hi-Volt, Microcurrent, Interferential, Premodulated). Used in clinical settings by healthcare professionals. Output is applied directly to patient tissue to facilitate pain relief, muscle re-education, and circulation improvement. Clinical decision-making relies on provider selection of modality based on patient condition (e.g., post-surgical, chronic pain). Benefits include reduced muscle spasms, improved range of motion, and management of intractable pain.
Clinical Evidence
No clinical data provided; bench testing only.
Technological Characteristics
Multi-modality therapeutic system providing ultrasound and electrical stimulation (VMS, Russian, Monophasic Hi-Volt, Microcurrent, Interferential, Premodulated). Ultrasound provides deep heating (40-45°C). Device is a professional-use clinical unit.
Indications for Use
Indicated for patients requiring deep heat therapy for pain, muscle spasms, joint contractures, adhesive capsulitis, bursitis, myositis, and soft tissue injuries; muscle stimulation for spasm relaxation, atrophy prevention, circulation, re-education, range of motion, and venous thrombosis prevention; and pain management for chronic, intractable, post-traumatic, or post-operative conditions.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions is a device that applies to specific areas of the body ultrasonic energy at a frequency beyond 20 kilohertz and that is intended to generate deep heat within body tissues for the treatment of selected medical conditions such as relief of pain, muscle spasms, and joint contractures, but not for the treatment of malignancies. The device also passes electrical currents through the body area to stimulate or relax muscles.
Submission Summary (Full Text)
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Image /page/0/Picture/1 description: The image is a black and white logo for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The logo features a stylized image of an eagle or bird with three curved lines representing its wings or feathers. The bird is positioned within a circular border. The text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - USA" is arranged around the upper portion of the circle.
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
FEB 1 1999
Ms. Cheryl G. Dyer Regulatory Compliance Specialist Chattanooga Group, Inc. 4717 Adams Road P.O. Box 489 37343-0489 Hixson, Tennessee
K982317 Re: Trade Names: Vectra 2C and Vectra 4C Product Codes: GZJ, LIH, IPF, IMG, and IMI K982321 Trade Names: Vectra 2S and Vectra 4S GZJ, LIH, and IPF Product Codes: K982324 Vectra Pro 2 and Vectra Pro 4 Trade Names: GZJ, LIH, IPF, IMG, and IMI Product Codes: Regulatory Class: II Dated: December 10, 1999 December 11, 1999 Received:
Dear Ms. Dyer:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) notifications of intent to market the devices referenced above and we have determined these devices are substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosures) to devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Druq, and Cosmetic Act (Act). You may, therefore, market the devices, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, qood manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration.
If your devices are classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (Premarket Approval), they may be subject to such additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your devices can be found in the Code of Federal Requlations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 895. A substantially equivalent determination assumes compliance with the current Good Manufacturing Practice requirement, as set forth in the Quality System Regulation (QS) for Medical General regulation (21 CFR Part 820) and that, Devices: through periodic (QS) inspections, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will verify such assumptions. Failure to comply with the GMP regulation may result in regulatory
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Page 2 - Ms. Cheryl G. Dyer
In addition, FDA may publish further announcements action. concerning your devices in the Federal Register. Please note: this response to your premarket notification submission does not affect any obligation you might have under sections 531 through 542 of the Act for devices under the Electronic Product Radiation Control provisions, or other Federal laws or regulations.
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your devices as described in your 510(k) premarket notification. The FDA finding of substantial equivalence of your devices to legally marketed predicate devices results in a classification for your devices and thus, permits your devices to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your devices on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801 and additionally 809.10 for im vitro diagnostic devices), please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4659. Additionally, for questions on the promotion and advertising of your devices, please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4639. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to
premarket notification" (21 CFR 807.97). Other gener Other general information on your responsibilities under the Act may be obtained from the Division of Small Manufacturers Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 443-6597 or at its internet address "http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsmamain.html".
Sincerely yours,
Mark N. Wilkinson
M. Witten, Ph.D., M.D. Director Division of General and Restorative Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosures
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K982317
Image /page/2/Picture/1 description: The image shows the logo for Chattanooga Group, Inc. The logo consists of two parts: a stylized letter "C" on the left and the company name on the right. The letter "C" is formed by two curved shapes within a square. The company name is written in a bold, sans-serif font, with "Chattanooga" on the top line and "Group, Inc." on the bottom line.
## INDICATIONS
## For Ultrasound
Ultrasound for use in applying deep heat can be used for treatment of selected medical Childious such as the relief of pain, muscle spasms and joint contractures. These conditions may be associated with adhesive capsulitis, bursitis with slight calcification, myositis and soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound can provide therapeutic deep heating between 40° and 45°C.
For VMS, Russian, Monophasic Hi-Volt
- Relaxation of muscle spasms
- Prevention or retardation of disuse atrophy
- Increasing local blood circulation 1
- Muscle re-education
- Maintaining or increasing range of motion
- Immediate postsurgical stimulation of calf muscles to prevent venous thrombosis
For Microcurrent, Interferential and Premodulated
- = Symptomatic relief of chronic, intractable pain
- Management of pain associated with post-traumatic or post-operative conditions
Mark N. Milken
Prescription Use (Per 21 CFR 801.109)
4717 Adams Road P.O. Box 489 Hixson, TN 37343-0489 Phone: 423-870-2281 Fax: 423-870-7404
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.
