New Addition to Logan Memorial Leads to Faster Diagnosis

Logan Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that we recently acquired a 16-Slice BrightSpeed Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner from GE Healthcare.  This powerful new diagnostic imaging tool will mean shorter patient exams, quicker results for physicians and faster diagnosis for illness and injuries.The scanner was installed in November 2008 as part of a million-dollar construction and installation project.  To prepare for the scanner, four of our full-time radiologic technologists became certified in CT scanning earlier this year.

"The new CT Scanner is a great asset to the hospital and this community," said Dr. Todd Talmadge, an Interventional Radiologist at Logan Memorial.  "Our acquisition of the BrightSpeed means that physicians can provide better care for a multitude of injuries and illnesses.  This system is non-invasive and patient-friendly.  Its speed and accuracy will help physicians provide a diagnosis in a shorter period of time than previously possible at Logan Memorial."


What is CT? 
A Computed Tomography (CT) System, also know as a "CAT Scan", is a type of X-ray process that creates a digital image of internal structures within the human body (such as the lungs, cardiovascular system and skeletal system).  CT scans produce images with greater clarity and more detail than traditional X-ray exams.  This aids physicians in diagnosing disease, finding internal abnormalities such as tumors and assessing the extent of trauma damage.

During a typical CT procedure, the patient is placed on a table.  The table moves the patient through the gantry (a donut-shaped device), which houses an X-ray tube and detector array.  For each image acquired, the X-ray tube rotates around the patient, emitting X-rays that pass through the patient and enter the detector array.  Thousands of X-ray measurements are acquired in a single scan.

A computer gathers the information collected during the scanning process and builds a 3-Dimensional image of the patient's internal structures one "slice" at a time (imagine putting a loaf of bread together slice-by-slice).  The individual slices are pieced together to form an image of the whole structure.  These 3-D images can be rotated and manipulated in various ways to help physicians get a clear picture of what is going on inside the patient's body.

What does this scanner mean to our patients?
The biggest advantage of the BrightSpeed CT scanner is that it is fast.  Shorter scan times will help reduce patient discomfort and stress because less time is required for patients to hold their breath during the exam.

The machine also features advanced software that quickly converts the scanned data into an image that the physicians can use to make a diagnosis.  A prompt diagnosis can lead to a quicker treatment plan and faster recovery for our patients.

The BrightSpeed CT scanner can be used to diagnose and help in the treatment of the following:

• Rapid full-body scans can help quickly locate internal injuries after an automobile accident or a fall.
• Angiography, or scanning of the veins and arteries, can help locate blockages and other vascular complications.
• Broken bones, spine injuries, joint problems and other skeletal conditions.
• Abdominal conditions such as colorectal cancer, polyps, appendicitis, kidney stones, liver disease, etc.
• Neck and back pain.
• Lung conditions.
• Inner ear problems.
• Brain conditions such as tumors and strokes.
• Cancer treatment programs