Comanche County Medical Center to Bring World Class Imaging to the Area April 23, 2008-9 am Van Dyke, Texas - - - The CCMC Board of Directors unanimously voted to move forward with purchase of several new pieces of imaging equipment that will give the facility capabilities not currently available in any of the area hospitals. The likelihood of being able to treat patients close to home will be increased dramatically with the implementation of this technology. One of our respected medical staff, Dr. Forrest Eisenrich, comments on the new technology, It is very exciting to contemplate the possibilities of working with this advanced technology that the Administration and the Hospital Board are making available for the Medical Staff and our patients. I believe we have always been able to provide good care for our patients, but this new equipment combined with our excellent and dedicated staff should allow us to greatly improve the care and make it much easier and convenient for everyone. Our CEO/Administrator, Kevin Storey, further commented, First and foremost, we are purchasing this equipment for our patients. We want to provide our physicians with the best diagnostic tools available. We hope to reduce the number of trips that our patients are required to make to other facilities by being able to treat them here. and the final consideration, by keeping the patients here, we keep the revenue in our own area. It is the best of both worlds CCMC BRINGS THE WORLD S MOST ADVANCED MULTISLICE CT SYSTEM Comanche County Medical Center will soon be joining the ranks of the country s premier healthcare providers such as Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Brigham and Women s Hospital in Boston, two of the most prestigious cardiac institutions in the country. We will soon offer patients access to the world s most advanced multislice computed tomography (CT) system through its acquisition of the Aquilion 64 from Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. The fast scanning capabilities and unmatched image quality offer significant benefits for quick and accurate diagnosis of trauma patients experiencing chest pain or stroke. The Aquilion 64 can capture precise images of any area of the body in as little as a ten (10) second breath hold. Another benefit of the scanner is that the overall radiation exposure to patients and hospital staff is up to 40% lower. TO OUR AREA
Our physicians will be able to see more anatomical information than previously thought possible. According to our new Internist, Dr. Joe Hubbard, We can diagnose problems like blood clots, infections, and cancer in greater detail and with more clarity. As a result, we will have the ability to make an accurate diagnosis at earlier stages. This means that patients can begin receiving treatment sooner for potentially better outcomes. For instance, the system has the capability to measure and check for the amount of plaque buildup in an individual s coronary arteries (called calcium scoring). A high score can be lifesaving by alerting a patient and their physician to the presence of heart disease and the need for further evaluation. A low calcium score indicates less risk of a heart attack. Dr. Joe Hubbard further commented, Calcium scoring lets us determine if there is any evidence of Coronary Artery Disease. Coronary Artery Disease is progressive, early detection and treatment is the key to minimizing the need for surgery. With the coverage and speed capabilities of the scanner, a wider range of patients also may have more options to undergo noninvasive procedures, such as a virtual heart catheterization and virtual colonoscopy. Coronary angiography is a fairly routine procedure in fact, nearly 2 million are performed every year 1. However, it usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital for additional monitoring. There also can be significant risks associated with the procedure, including stroke, heart attack, and for approximately 1 percent of the population, death 1. Cardiac catheterization has been the main option for evaluating the heart for blocked arties. Twenty to 40 percent 1 of these procedures are diagnostic only and require no intervention. But, the developments in multislice CT imaging technology has played a significant role in providing patients with an alternative to traditional coronary angiography. CCMC BRINGS NEW CUTTING-EDGE 1.5T MRI SYSTEM POWERED BY ATLAS Comanche County Medical Center will soon be installing a new cutting-edge 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system the EXCELART Vantage powered by Atlas from Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. The system will be installed in a new addition attached to the hospital to eliminate the need to go outside into the elements. The system delivers unmatched image quality that allows faster imaging times, quick and accurate diagnosis and maximum patient comfort. Our facility will be one of the few in the nation to have this technology.
The new Atlas system design features an integrated coil concept that allows clinicians to perform multiple exams without repositioning the patient. Also, the Vantage Atlas allows for feet-first imaging for the entire body for most tests, except the neck and head. This helps patients who feel claustrophobic in many of the other scanners on the market. The Vantage Atlas also features Toshiba s patented noise-reduction technology, called Pianissimo which dramatically reduces acoustic noise. This is often considered to be the most significant cause of patient discomfort during an MRI exam. NEW ULTRASOUND WILL ADVANCE RADIOLOGY CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVE DELIVERY OF PATIENT CARE TO AREA RESIDENTS Further improving the delivery of cardiac care to the community, Comanche County Medical Center will soon be offering the latest ultrasound technology designed to improve diagnosis of heart disease and enable faster treatment decisions. The purchase of the Xario TM ultrasound system, from Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., provides physicians with a state-of-the-art, yet affordable ultrasound imaging system capable of producing high-quality images needed to diagnose a variety of heart conditions in a single visit. Ultrasound is a painless and frequently used diagnostic tool capable of rapidly scanning and evaluating areas of concern. At CCMC, the Xario ultrasound will be used to perform a wide range of cardiac exams using applications such as Tissue Harmonic Imaging and Pulse Subtraction, which provide superior image quality and ultimately better diagnosis and treatment. The ultrasound system s advanced applications, including 4D imaging, ApliPure TM and Trapezoid Imaging, work together to enhance radiology capabilities, resulting in more accurate diagnoses and treatment. This 4D imaging can also be used to display a baby s face in OB exams. The system s ability to obtain clear, detailed images with relative ease and speed often eliminates the need for additional tests, and allows us to begin treatment much sooner.
CCMC ADDS STATE-OF-THE-ART NUCLEAR MEDICING TECHNOLOGY TO ITS ARSENAL OF DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITIES This is a brand new service for Comanche County. The nuclear medicine scanner/camera allows the physician to study and detect heart abnormalities by utilizing chemical and physical stress testing. This machine will be used in conjunction with our new Ultrasound and MRI technology. It is useful for detecting metastatic diseases (cancer). Previously, patients were required to go to larger facilities for these studies. The machine automatically tracks the patient s body contour for more accurate results. For example, if a patient comes in one day and then returns for another scan one month later, the system will automatically retain the previous settings from the original scan for consistent, comparative results. This unit offers the latest in high definition 4D scanning available today. This maintains high performance and stability and offer a 30% increase in count rate performance over 3D detector technology. With this advanced technology, CCMC will be able to perform the latest cardiac studies available as well as being a valuable tool for our physicians to treat patients with bone pathology.
References: 1. R. Young presentation; source: CDC/NCHS Additional Resources: 1. Cardiovascular Medicine. Highly accurate coronary angiography with submillimetre, 16 slice computed tomography. G J Morgan-Hughes, C A Roobottom, P E Owens, A J Marshall. www.heart.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/91/3/308