Exploring Acute Care: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at UHNBC’s Medical Imaging Department

This week, the UHNBC Acute Care Tower project team took a field trip to the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia to learn more about how things work in the Medical Imaging Department - and how it all fits into the exciting new tower project.

What is Acute Care?
Acute care refers to the short-term treatment of patients experiencing severe or urgent medical conditions. It includes services such as emergency care, surgery, intensive care, and diagnostic imaging, making it a critical component of any hospital infrastructure.

During our visit, we had the chance to tour the entire department, guided by Dr. Elshazly, Shelly Todd (Diagnostics Manager), and Roma Toor (Director, Clinical Operations UHNBC), with a special focus on the Nuclear Medicine area.

The new StarGuide SPECT/CT scanner in the Nuclear Medicine department - bringing advanced imaging technology to support faster, more accurate diagnoses.

What is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear medicine is a specialized area of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose and treat diseases. It provides unique insights into how organs and tissues are functioning, information that’s often not available through other imaging techniques.

We also got a glimpse of the Interventional Radiology Suite, where minimally invasive procedures are performed using real-time imaging guidance.

A health care professional demonstrates how the Interventional Radiology (IR) machine moves and operates, giving our team a closer look at its capabilities. The scanner was made possible in part by donations from Spirit of the North.

What is Interventional Radiology?
This field is a medical specialty that uses real-time imaging, like X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds, to guide tiny instruments inside the body. This allows doctors to diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions with pinpoint accuracy, often without the need for traditional surgery. The result? Less risk, less pain, and a much quicker recovery for patients.

To round out the experience, we spent time in the Nuclear Medicine waiting area, which features an interactive projected floor, a thoughtful touch, especially since appointments in this department can sometimes mean long days at the hospital. The floor lights up and responds to movement, offering a bit of light-hearted comfort for patients and families. The space also includes large, comfortable chairs to help make the wait a little more relaxing.

The interactive floor in the waiting area lights up and responds to movement - like stepping into a giant video game.

The Medical Imaging Department at UHNBC already offers a range of advanced cardiac diagnostics and procedures, and with the upcoming Acute Care Tower, these services are set to grow even further.

One example is pacemaker insertion, a procedure where a small electronic device is implanted under the skin to help manage irregular heart rhythms. This life-saving technology is already being delivered by the team, and the expanded space and resources in the new tower will allow for even more comprehensive cardiac care.

This visit was a valuable step in ensuring that the new tower is designed with both clinical efficiency and patient experience in mind. We’re excited to continue learning and collaborating as the project moves forward!