Page 32
Progress — 2014
Eagle River Memorial Hospital
upgrades CT scanner capabilities
Patients in need of a computed tomography (CT) scan at Ministry Eagle
River Memorial Hospital (MERMH) will
receive the service more quickly and efficiently thanks to a recent equipment
upgrade.
MERMH installed a new Siemens,
64-slice CT unit in the hospital’s diagnostic imaging department.
CT scans utilize X-rays to create detailed images from inside the body. The
CT scan is valuable in many clinical presentations such as detection of cancer,
trauma and causes of pain in the chest,
abdomen and head.
“The new CT scanner requires less
radiation dose and improves image quality,” said Dr. Theodore Shinners, Ministry Medical Group. “The examinations
are also performed in a shorter period of
time which allows for an improved image quality.”
While the speed is one benefit, accuracy is another. The upgraded CT scan-
ner at MERMH has the ability to determine the correct radiation dose based on
the patient’s size. The dose reduction
technology built into the new scanner allows patients to receive a high quality
exam at a significantly reduced dose.
“The biggest advantage of the scanner is the dose modulation is automated,” said Shinners. “Its automation is especially beneficial for larger and smaller
patients as the amount of radiation is
based on the individual’s size. It allows
for diagnostic image quality to remain
constant among varying sizes, from children to adults.”
Dose reduction is most important in
pediatrics given the patients’ young age.
“With the upgrade in technology, the
system is automated as it adjusts to the
individual patient. It customizes the
dose to the size of the patient and the
type of the exam,” said Shinners. “That
allows for a significant reduction in dose
in smaller patients which is an impor-
tant benefit for pediatrics and young
adults who are at most risk related to
radiation exposure.”
It’s not common to see an advanced
CT scanner in a rural community.
“For a critical access hospital like
Ministry Eagle River Memorial to have
this caliber of a scanner is tremendous,”
said Mike DeBay, radiology director at
MERMH
and
Ministry
Sacred
Heart/Saint Mary’s Hospitals. “For the
city of Eagle River to have a 64-slice CT
scanner aligns them with the bigger facilities in healthcare.”
While the focus is on keeping patients first, there are advantages for
Ministry’s staff.
“From a