News
New Technology Now Available at CPMCK
What do a Harley Davidson motor and the human body have in common? Both have been scanned by a GE LightSpeed scanner to detect internal problems.
Bryan Roberts and Davis Mosby, GE representatives, unveiled the capabilities of the CT scanner recently purchased by Colorado Plains Medical Center at a special presentation given to community physicians and CPMC medical staff.
Originally developed in the 1970s, CT or “CAT” scans combine the power of X-ray technology and computers – allowing physicians the ability to view wafer-thin cross-sections of internal anatomy without the need for surgery. CT exams are used when people are ill or injured, or when a doctor suspects a medical problem that is not easily detectable from a normal physical examination.
The LightSpeed CT scanner non-invasively assists physicians in the diagnosis of a variety of anatomical areas, including spine, head, abdomen and chest.
The hospital joins more than 5000 other medical facilities that have installed the LightSpeed model in recent years. An article published in the US News & World Report noted that 76% of the top rated hospitals currently use this particular piece of equipment in their respective radiology departments.
The GE LightSpeed is designed and manufactured by GE Medical Systems, a leading provider of healthcare’s most advanced diagnostic imaging and information systems. The company is headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
“Colorado Plains made an excellent choice when they decided to upgrade their scanner,” noted Roberts. “You can be assured that you have one of the best pieces of equipment on the market.”
The new CT scanner is a 16 slice scanner, meaning that it can take 16 very narrow images at the same time, producing a higher resolution image.
“The addition of the LightSpeed CT system compliments and extends the high range of quality diagnostic services that Colorado Plains Medical Center offers the residents of Morgan and Washington Counties,” comments Denice Byczkowski, head of the CPMC radiology department. “LightSpeed will provide us with improved image quality, new applications such as CT angiography, cardiology, CT colonography, and an overall enhanced diagnostic confidence on all our studies.”
The new multi-slice scanner can take images of the body at a much faster rate and cover larger areas of the body. Quicker scans translate into a more comfortable exam for the patient.
By producing a sharper image, certain lesions can be detected much easier. Its superb sub-millimeter isotropic resolution also allows for very small structures to be imaged, including fine bony structures, coronary arteries, and minute tortuous vessels. In addition, the 3-D viewing capabilities allow for new applications, such as CT angiography and coronary scans and CT colonography as well as some of the more traditional uses, such as orthopedics and spine and calcium scoring used to identify patients at risk with build-up in the veins and arteries.
“These procedures (CT angiography and CT colonography) are a lot less invasive than traditional angiograms and colonoscopies, again adding to the comfort of the patient,” point out Roberts. “For example, the Light Speed can produce a CT colonography in just 15 minutes. This is one-fourth the amount of time normally needed by the more invasive, traditional colonoscopy. Physicians also find the CT angiography helpful for stent planning and visualizing stenosis with its 3D reconstruction capabilities. It is also widely used on patients who have had angiograms. Its capabilities are remarkable,” remarked Roberts.