News
New state of the art combined CT/Nuclear Medicine Camera for Joondalup Health Campus.
Perth Radiological Clinic’s Nuclear Medicine Imaging Department at Joondalup Health Campus is now home to a brand new state of the art combined CT/Nuclear Medicine scanner.
The new scanner is quite unique says PRC’s head of Nuclear Medicine Dr Andrew Patrikeos. The scanner uses very low radiation dose CT technology to acquire structural images and at the same time the nuclear medicine camera acquires functional images or pictures of how, for example an organ such as the liver or heart, is functioning. Because both technologies employ low dose protocols, the radiation dose to the patient can be reduced, making it the preferred option for paediatric patients and young adults, he said. We can now get a lot of information about a particular part of the body, what it looks like and how it is functioning, but at a very low radiation dose, he said.
Another big improvement over older scanners like this is speed. The new scanner is much faster than previous models so it’s ideal for older patients or patients who are in pain and find it hard to lie still or in a fixed position for any length of time.
This new scanner also has a much larger bore or opening so it’s great news for claustrophobic patients too, said Dr Patrikeos.
The new scanner will perform a range of examinations but it is particularly useful in the investigation of heart disease, orthopaedic and sports medicine related problems, cancer and suspected clot in the lung. Combined with this, is the ability for PRC to now store all images on line for at least the next seven years which is very beneficial for the ongoing monitoring of patients, in particular cancer patients.
The new scanner is now fully operational. If you have a doctor’s referral please call 9400 0511 to make an appointment.
The new CT/Nuclear Medicine camera at Joondalup Health Campus is now fully operational. Its extra wide bore or opening makes examinations, such as this one, much easier for claustrophobic patients.
