Newcastle trust among first to introduce new CT system

Published: 9-Mar-2015

Swift and safe CT and fluoroscopy procedures to benefit Newcastle patients

The Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), part of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is upgrading its CT capabilities with state-of-the-art technology from Siemens Healthcare.

The SOMATOM Force will allow the hospital’s patients to be imaged quickly and easily at the lowest-achievable dose. It will also allow patients to be administered with a lower quantity of contrast agent which results in a safer procedure.

Along with a new CT system, the hospital is also installing an Artis zee Multi-Purpose (MP) from Siemens Healthcare which will be used for general fluoroscopy procedures.

The trust has one of the most-diverse speciality portfolios in the UK, comprising of expertise in many areas including paediatrics, cardiology and trauma. The site is home to a major trauma centre and The Great North Children's Hospital. The SOMATOM Force will be used to support CT scan referrals from these areas in addition to many other specialities.

The CT technology was chosen for its dual-source capabilities, and the ability to use low KV routinely on all patients, delivering both lower radiation doses and significantly-lower contrast media usage. It is hoped that the rapid imaging will lead to increased turnaround times, which is anticipated will lead to a boost in productivity at the hospital.

“We are delighted to be one of the first hospitals in the UK to install the latest CT technology from Siemens Healthcare. The Force will provide benefits to a wide range of our patients with its low-dose features and the ability to use a lower volume of contrast agent,” said Graeme Hughes, radiology service manager at the trust.

“The system will be fully utilised for a variety of general CT procedures and will allow us to enhance the trust’s cardiac CT workload due to its rapid imaging capabilities.”

The Artis zee MP Fluoroscopy system was chosen due to its multi-purpose functionality which suits the diverse imaging needs of the hospital and trust. The system was chosen due to its CARE+CLEAR features, which provide a range of image quality and dose-saving tools.

The purchase of these systems was supported by a charitable donation of £418,000 from the Newcastle Healthcare Charity, which administers charitable funds from a variety of charities.

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