PENSACOLA, FL (Dec. 28, 2005) – Sacred Heart Hospital has acquired a new super-fast CT imaging system that will allow physicians to capture detailed, more accurate images of the heart, blood vessels and damaged organs – without surgery or an invasive diagnostic procedure.

“This advance in 64-slice CT technology promises to be a tremendous leap forward our ability to diagnose vascular diseases,” said Bill McLaughlin, president of Sacred Heart Hospital. “This is the next generation of CT imaging that will very likely transform the way we practice medicine and spare certain patients from invasive procedures. We are excited to be the first hospital in our region to offer this cutting edge technology.”

The new CT scanner means Sacred Heart doctors will soon have the ability to diagnose blockages in major blood vessels, including the coronary arteries, with a fast, simple external scan. In the near future, for some patients, the scan may be an easier, safer alternative to a cardiac catheterization procedure that requires a flexible tube or catheter to be inserted into patient’s groin and advanced into the coronary arteries.

Sacred Heart is already using the technology for studies of internal organs and non-coronary blood vessels. In June of this year, Sacred Heart will add cardiac studies to the list of imaging applications for the new CT.

“CT technology has made huge advances in recent years,” said Dr. Gary Pablo, medical director of the Emergency/Trauma Center at Sacred Heart. “The 64-slice CT will likely change the way we evaluate some of the Emergency Center patients who arrive complaining of chest pain. By providing a non-invasive study that can quickly distinguish blocked arteries from normal coronary arteries, we can determine who is and is not at high risk of having a heart attack. It could save valuable time, reducing unnecessary testing and hospital stays, and better utilizing the skills of our cardiology staff for high risk patients.”

The GE LightSpeed Volume Computed Tomography (VCT) scanner can capture images of a beating heart in five heartbeats or an organ in a second, and can scan for whole body trauma in ten seconds, something no other CT system can offer. And it does so without sacrificing clarity – it offers a spectacular snapshot of all the veins and arteries in the body as well as internal organs.

“We can now diagnose vascular disease faster, more accurately and non-invasively,” said Dr. Carlos Encarnacion, a Sacred Heart radiologist with fellowship training in cardiovascular radiology and imaging. “The speed of this machine makes a big difference in our ability to image the moving heart – and with minimal risk or discomfort for the patient.”

In a single rotation, the new CT technology can acquire 64 high resolution images of the internal anatomy with each image as thin as a credit card. These images are combined to form a three-dimensional view of the patient’s anatomy for physicians to analyze. The new VCT imaging technology from GE Healthcare is patient friendly.

“Fast scans means faster patient exams that reduce the patient’s stress and anxiety,” said Dawn Thompson, chief CT technologist at Sacred Heart. “No other machine can match the speed and clarity of this technology in providing images of all blood vessels and internal organs.”

New medical applications arising from the new scanner include:

The ability for physicians to quickly diagnose (or rule out) three life-threatening conditions in patients who have chest pain: pulmonary embolism, coronary artery disease or dissection of the aorta.

Evaluating blood flow in the kidneys and blood flow to the stomach and legs.

In stroke patients, the ability to rapidly obtain images of the blood vessels in the brain and make timely decisions about stroke treatments needed during the critical first hours after a stroke occurs.

In the past couple of weeks, the 64-slice CT system has been in the national spotlight. It was part of a health-risk awareness series on "Oprah," and Matt Lauer of NBC's "Today" underwent a 64-slice heart scan on the show.

The new CT system is part of a larger expansion of Sacred Heart’s imaging services. The new Sacred Heart Medical Park on Airport Boulevard will add an open-design MRI (magetic resonance imaging) system in January. In addition, Sacred Heart will open a new facility in Pace in January that includes MRI and CT imaging technologies. For more information on Sacred Heart’s new LightSpeed imaging system, call (850) 416-7000.

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