|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Home > News > 2005 News |
|
|
|
New Outpatient Imaging and Diagnostic Center Includes State-of-the-art Radiology
Services
Jan. 17, 2005
St. John’s new emergency trauma center opens on the hospital’s northwest side in
February, but not before procedures such as MRI, CT, ultrasound and diagnostic
radiology are up and running on the second floor of the new facility.
St. John’s MRI, CAT scan, and ultrasound departments are relocating to the
addition. The move will provide reduced wait times for registration, more
convenient parking with improved accessibility to the building, spacious exam
suites and state-of-the-art equipment, according to Radiology Services
Administrator Ann Metcalf.
“The new facility will also be more navigable, allowing easier way-finding for
patients, easier access to registration. We’ll also offer a lab-draw station to
help provide a ‘one-stop shop,’ for patients scheduled for any imaging
procedure,” says Metcalf.
St. John’s Interventional Radiology department, which provides angiography,
angioplasty, stenting, and embolization, will stay in the existing hospital
location. Patients scheduled for these procedures will enter through the new
entrance on the northwest side of the hospital to check in, have lab drawn and
be escorted to the vascular lab by volunteers. The existing radiology area of
the hospital will provide all inpatient plain film and fluoroscopy procedures as
well as outpatient fluoroscopy procedures. These outpatients will check in at
the new entrance as well and will be escorted by volunteers to the main
diagnostic department.
“We strongly believe in providing our patients with the latest and greatest in
diagnostic equipment and technology services,” Metcalf says. “The new Emergency
Trauma Center will house new diagnostic radiology equipment in all six trauma
rooms and it will have three radiology rooms in the main ER area. The ER will
also have CAT scan capability and room for an additional scanner in the future.”
St. John’s is adding a second MRI scanner in the new building with room for a
future third MRI.
“With the second scanner, we’ll be able to cut exam time for patients by about
33 percent,” says MRI Manager Chris Ware.
Ultrasound equipment will all be upgraded, and the new facility will house an
additional ultrasound room.
“We’ll be going from four to five ultrasound rooms,” says Ultrasound Supervisor
Kent Meador.
The facility’s new CAT scanners will feature brand-new, 16-slice technology,
which cuts exam time.
“One rotation of the scanner offers 16 views of the area being scanned,” says CT
Manager Claralee Moore. “The area will have a future room for an additional CAT
scanner and will house the first installed PET/CT scanner in the area.” “We will
also begin offering cardiac scoring, which measures the amount of calcium in the
heart to determine a person’s likelihood of having a heart attack. This
procedure will be a great preventive tool for patients and we look forward to
offering it at St. John’s.”
What's It All Mean?
• MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging. Used to look at anatomy and tissue within the
body. Scans can show injury to tissue, abnormal growths, tumors, or blood flow.
Physicians may order an MRI of the chest, spine, abdomen, heart, extremities
and/or head and neck.
• CT or CAT scan: Computed tomography. Shows detailed images of any part of the
body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed
than general X-rays. CT scans also minimize exposure to radiation.
• PET scan: Positron emission tomography. A nuclear medicine procedure, which
generates pictures have the precise location and extent of disease, and enables
physicians to detect abnormal cell growth and activity.
• Ultrasound: Uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of
blood vessels, tissues, and organs to see how they function and assess blood
flow through various vessels.
• X-ray: Used to diagnose fractures, tumors and degenerative conditions and
blockages.
For media information, call
St. John's Media Relations at 417-8202-2426.
|
|
|
|