Bluefield Regional Medical Center (BRMC) representatives are proud to announce the hospital has acquired a new LightSpeed Plus CT scanner. This scanner, from GE Medical Systems, is a breakthrough computed tomography scanner that provides detailed images of the human body.

According to BRMC radiologist Dr. A. K. Raja Rao, this advanced technology not only means more diagnostic information for doctors in routine situations, but its speed can also save precious exam time in emergency situations. The addition of the scanner complements and extends the high range of quality diagnostic services that BRMC offers the residents of this region.

The new LightSpeed Plus CT scanner allows doctors to simultaneously capture multiple images of a patientıs anatomy in a matter of minutes. "In many cases, emergency room (ER) physicians rely on images from CT scanners to assess the extent of internal injury during the first and most critical hour for trauma patients in the ER," Rao said. "Reducing the scan time by a few minutes or more can allow ER physicians to begin treating patients more quickly."

CT exams are used when people are ill or injured, or when a doctor suspects a medical problem that is not easily detectable from a normal physical examination. The LightSpeed Plus CT scanner assists physicians in the diagnosis of a variety of anatomic areas, including spine, head, abdomen and chest.

"With LightSpeed Plus, a CT exam that once took us three minutes can now be completed in approximately 20 seconds," Rao said. "This allows us the speed and accuracy we need to quickly diagnose a variety of conditions for emergency and non-emergency patients of all ages."

Rao added, "The detailed information which is gathered by this machine can be used to create three-dimensional images of blood vessels and other structures throughout the body."

Originally developed in the 1970s, CT or "CAT" scans combine the power of X-ray technology and computers, allowing physicians the ability to view wafer-thin cross-sections of internal anatomy without the need for surgery.

BRMC has been serving the healthcare needs of southern West Virginia for more than 100 years, and currently employs nearly 1,000 people. BRMC is continually working to improve the quality of healthcare in our region.