NEWS RELEASE
ROYAL VICTORIA REGIONAL
HEALTH CENTRE
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New technology at RVH means faster, safer CT scans
Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) has once again taken a big step forward in ensuring patients across the region have access to the most advanced care and diagnostics with the installation of a new state-of-the-art CT scanner.
“CT scanners are indispensable tools for the diagnosis and treatment of disease and this new machine will be used for so many applications including diagnosing surgical emergencies, traumas, strokes and detecting cancerous tumours,” says Dr. Chris Guest, interim medical director and chief of Imaging Services. “It is so fast it is able to identify blockages in the coronary arteries while the heart is still beating, allowing for earlier detection of cardiac disease and preventing heart attacks. But technical specifications are a moot point when your loved ones are sick – it is the many clinical applications of this machine which matter most to our patients and their families.”
The new Siemens Somatom FLASH scanner has advanced imaging capabilities and uses significantly less radiation, making it safer for all. It is also one of the fastest CT machines in the marketplace with the ability to complete one rotation in 0.28 seconds.
The enhanced clarity of images means radiologists can detect lung tumours the size of an ant or kidney tumours the size of a dime - so small they may be treated non-surgically with tiny ablation needles.
“At RVH, safe, high-quality care is our top priority,” says Janice Skot, president and CEO, “This new machine – thanks to the generosity of our donors – ensures we can continue to deliver on that promise and provide our clinicians with the most advanced diagnostic imaging technology. RVH’s Imaging Services is the most advanced in the region with almost $20 million in cutting-edge technology added with the health centre’s recent expansion.”
Equipment costs are entirely funded by the hospital and the community and it is through donor support the health centre continues to add the most advanced equipment for its clinicians.
“With growing patient volumes and higher acuity of patients, many who require CT scans, it’s imperative we keep pace with new technology, but replacing technology always comes at a significant cost – and it is only through the generosity of our donors that equipment purchases like this are possible as hospital equipment costs are 100 per cent funded by the community,” says David McCullough, chair, RVH Foundation.
On average, 100 CT scans are performed every day at RVH.
This new scanner will be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week – year round.
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