 November 12, 2007, MORRIS, IL – Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers has acquired a new, state-of-the-art CT imaging system from GE Healthcare that is revolutionizing diagnostic imaging at the hospital.
Commonly referred to as a “64-slice” CT scanner, The new LightSpeed® Volume Computed Tomography system at Morris Hospital has the ability to capture images of a beating heart in five heartbeats, an organ in one second, and perform whole body trauma in ten seconds. This is more than twice as fast as conventional multi-slice CT systems. According to David Vanderkin, M.D., a radiologist on the Morris Hospital medical staff, the faster speed results in better images and diagnoses.
“Patients are asked to remain still and hold their breath during CT studies because movement does affect the quality of the image, including movement from breathing and the beating heart,” explains Dr. Vanderkin. “Since the new equipment can scan a larger area in less time, patients don’t have to hold their breath as long. That greatly improves the quality of the images, and the better the images, the more accurate the diagnosis.”
Patients also appreciate the shortened breath holds, especially those who may have difficulty holding their breath, including geriatric and pediatric patients, patients with emphysema, and patients on ventilators. Shortened breath holds can also help reduce patient stress and anxiety.
The LightSpeed VCT works by creating 64 high-resolution anatomical images as thin as a credit card. Next, the system combines the 64 images to form a three-dimensional view of the patient’s anatomy for physicians to analyze. This is the first piece of equipment at Morris Hospital that produces three-dimensional images.
Dr. Vanderkin says the images obtained by the new CT system are enhancing physicians’ ability to detect small blood clots in the lungs, which could lead to pulmonary embolism. Because of its ability to capture images of the veins and arteries, the new CT system is giving physicians at Morris Hospital an alternate way to look for clots, blockages and narrowing in the blood vessels in the neck, abdomen and legs. The system also has the ability to capture blockages in the coronary arteries.
According to Liz Bates, Manager of Radiology, Morris Hospital will continue to use its original CT scanner for scans of the head and for special procedures. She says the availability of two CT systems will be especially helpful when studies are needed on multiple trauma victims from the same car accident.
“The 64-slice offers so many advantages and has the potential for adding new studies in the future,” says Bates. “We’re very excited that this new technology is now available as another diagnostic imaging tool in the Radiology Department at Morris Hospital.”
Serving patients in more than 18 communities, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers includes the 86-bed Morris Hospital, as well as Healthcare Centers in Braidwood, Channahon, Dwight, Gardner, Marseilles, Minooka and Newark. Through the services of over 1,200 healthcare professionals, physicians and volunteers, Morris Hospital provides a Level II trauma center, radiation therapy center for cancer patients, Level II obstetrical unit with special care nursery, 12-bed state-of-the-art intensive care unit, and a dedicated pediatric unit.
# # #
|
