3-Dimensional
Heart, Brain, Artery Images Are Created In Minutes
OSF Saint Anthony Is First, Again, To Put New Technology To
Work For Our
Patients
 |
| A
3-dimensional view of a heart created by the New GE LightSpeed
VCT scanner. |
New CT technology available at OSF Saint
Anthony is making an excellent first impression on those using
it.
"I wish every
test and treatment were so fast and so effective,” says
Cynthia Kelly, 40, of Belvidere, who became the first patient at
the medical center to undergo the test.
OSF Saint Anthony
is the first medical center in the region to install and use a
GE LightSpeedVCT
scanner. The device creates
64 high resolution
images that combine to form a three-dimensional view of a patient's
anatomy. It also grabs images in just a few seconds, making the
test faster and easier.
The
LightSpeedVCT has many uses. A major issue for physicians caring
for emergency department patients experiencing chest
pain is to
be able to quickly rule out (or in) coronary artery disease,
pulmonary embolism, or a tear in the aortic artery. However,
finding the
cause
of chest pain can be a lengthy process. However, the LightSpeed
scanner can diagnose these causes of chest pain in minutes
and allows physicians
to carry out the proper treatments.
3-D Images
"It not
only gives us a three-dimensional view of the heart and the arteries,
but it provides information about what type of
plaque is in the arteries. This is important in evaluating whether someone
needs an additional intervention such as a stent to
open the artery,” said
Robert L. Minor, Jr., MD, a member of Rockford Cardiology
Associates and independent physician with the Regional Heart Institute.
 |
| Dr.
Robert L. Minor, Jr., is one of the physicians of the Regional
Heart Institute who believes new scanning technology is improving
cardiovascular care at OSF Saint Anthony. |
The scan is
faster, less invasive and an easy test for sick patients to tolerate.
The scanner is often used in
place
of angiography,
a minimally invasive procedure that creates X-ray pictures
of the heart,
arteries and blood vessels.
Cynthia Kelly
said she had experienced mild chest discomfort and occasional light-headedness
for about a year before
seeing Dr. Minor.
Although Kelly appeared to be in good overall health,
her symptoms troubled Dr. Minor. He wanted more information
about the health
of her cardiovascular system but didn't want to schedule
an invasive angiogram procedure.
"Dr. Minor told
me he wanted to use a new scanner that is quicker and less painful
than a standard test,” said
Kelly. “I
was excited to be this first person to have a chance
to benefit from the test. It was easy, fast and found
the problem.”
The scan revealed
a blockage in one of her coronary arteries. Kelly was taken
to the cardiac cath lab
at OSF Saint
Anthony and Dr.
Minor implanted a coronary artery stent to open
the artery. Later the same
day, she went home. “I feel great; better
than I have in more than a year,” said Kelly.
More Than Hearts
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| The
GE LightSpeed Scanner is also used to diagnose peripheral
vascular disease. |
Peripheral
vascular disease refers to diseases of blood vessels outside the
heart and
brain.
It's often
caused
by atherosclerosis
(hardening
of the arteries) that restricts blood flow. “This
test has great value for people suspected of
having peripheral vascular disease,
blockage of the carotid arteries and pulmonary
embolism,” said
Martin Urban, MD, an interventional radiologist
at OSF Saint Anthony.
When a stroke
occurs or is suspected, treatment must take place as quickly
as possible. This
new scan
provides the
speed and
resolution required for rapid imaging of blood
vessels in the brain, and enables
a physician to make a quick diagnosis and determine
the best course of treatment. In addition,
the scan can reveal
atherosclerosis
in
the carotid arteries of the neck.
"Many
patients who would otherwise need a diagnostic angiogram can
now have a scan instead,” Dr. Minor said. “If
a stent needs to be placed to open a carotid
artery, we can perform the procedure
immediately. After the procedure, a second
scan lets us see how much blood flow to the
brain has been restored.”
From tiny blood
vessels, to heart attacks, major traumatic
injuries, and blood flow in
a stroke-starved
brain,
the new scanner gives
doctors at OSF Saint Anthony crystal-clear
images that help us provide care “second
to none.”
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