New MRI, CT, and SPECT-CT machines arrive at the new hospital
The new hospital currently nearing completion in Terrace has received three major new pieces of equipment that will help provide excellent care closer to home for people in the Northwest.
A new CT scanner was delivered at the end of May, a SPECT-CT machine arrived in June, and a new MRI arrived from Germany on July 22.
“All three machines represent the latest technology to provide patients in the Northwest with the most advanced imaging without having to travel to a larger centre,” said Marina Downs, Diagnostic Imaging Manager, Mills Memorial. “This will support our core values to provide care closest to home.”
“SPECT and MRI are regional services that Mills provides,” she added. “We support the whole Northwest for these two services. CT is pretty common now; for example, Prince Rupert has one and Smithers has one. Terrace does still support a large amount of regional patients for CT.”
The combined value of the three new state-of-the-art machines, which replace older equipment that was approaching the end of its life, is just under $5 million. The machines were funded as part of the overall hospital project by the North West Regional Hospital District, and by the BC Ministry of Health through Northern Health.
The new CT scanner is shown inside the new hospital, complete with a virtual skylight to help
patients feel more relaxed while being scanned.
More about the new equipment:
- CT scanner:
- CT stands for “computed tomography,” which is a way of making 3D images of the inside of the human body.
- CT scanners use X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body, providing information about bone structures, soft tissues, and blood vessels.
- SPECT-CT:
- SPECT-CT machines combine two types of scans: single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT), creating highly defined 3D images of the inside of the body.
- This type of machine provides functional information that other imaging options can’t provide. SPECT-CTs are especially useful for detecting abnormal or cancerous cells and assessing musculoskeletal issues.
- MRI:
- MRI stands for “magnetic resonance imaging.”
- MRI machines use a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of our bodies’ internal structures. They excel at giving us images of soft tissues, organs, and the brain.
- Terrace’s new MRI machine can scan a patient’s whole body, including capturing from 100 to 100,000 images per study.
“Regional operation teams assessed the benefits of replacing the machines now to reduce any impact to regional patients and determined that it made more sense to get the new machines now,” said Marina. “For example, there would be replacement costs to install a new MRI machine because they’re large and complex, including some construction. To install new machines now means we can seamlessly move from our old hospital to the new hospital with only limited downtime.”
The MRI machine arrives in its new home (which also features a virtual skylight) on July 22. “Planning for the installation of an MRI machine is a meticulous process,” said Michael King, Construction Manager at PCL.
