Mt. Pleasant's Only 128-Slice CT Scanner Offers Faster, Safer More Accurate Diagnosis
Patients in Isabella County now have convenient local access to 128-slice computed tomography (CT) scanning for a faster, safer more accurate diagnosis.
MidMichigan Medical Center - Gratiot has installed the only 128-slice CT in Isabella County at its South Crapo Street location. The scanner is a Siemens SOMATOM® Definition AS 128-slice CT scanner, now located in the Crapo Professional Building at 211 South Crapo Street in Mt. Pleasant. The new scanner complements the state of the art digital mammography and Open MRI services also available in the Crapo Building.
“The improved imaging resolution and speed means doctors can more quickly and more accurately diagnose patients,” said Bob Green, manager of Diagnostic Imaging at MidMichigan Medical Center-Gratiot. “It is also designed to minimize radiation exposure for patient safety and peace of mind. Having this in Mt. Pleasant will save travel time and cost for patients locally and to the north."
128-slice CT is also available from MidMichigan Health at MidMichigan's Medical Centers in Alma and Midland.
CT scans are used in diagnosing a wide variety of concerns including cardiovascular and neurological conditions, cancer and more. The new scanner can be adapted to provide three-dimensional images for virtually any patient, of any size, young or old, including pediatric and bariatric patients. It can also benefit patients with cardiac or respiratory conditions that make it difficult to acquire quality images with other types of scanners.
The Siemens scanner helps overcome imaging challenges by rapidly providing clear images of more of the patient’s body. Its capabilities help eliminate the need for follow-up tests and can therefore potentially shorten the time required for diagnosis and treatment.
The system also enables doctors to easily distinguish different types of tissue, making it easier to determine the disease. Images show blood flow over time of whole organs. In the case of stroke patients, physicians can show circulation of blood not only within a small part of the brain, like most CT scanners, but for the entire brain.
For patient safety, the system is equipped with several innovative features, including the ability to adjust the radiation dose to the patient's size and the organ being examined. Together these features can reduce the radiation dose by as much as 60 percent while still providing high quality images. This technology has been recognized by Frost & Sullivan as the industry's most effective solution for optimizing exam speed, image quality and radiation dose exposure in CT imaging. Imaging is an area in which MidMichigan Health has consistently been a regional leader," Green said. "This is just the latest of many investments that have kept our patients and providers at the forefront of imaging technology for both diagnosis and treatment."
Other services available in the Crapo Professional Building include X-ray, ultrasound, laboratory, nuclear medicine and the offices of primary care providers and specialists.
"Our patients like the convenience of the Crapo Building because parking is closer and they can get in and out of the building more quickly compared to the hospital," said Interventional Radiologist David Petrella, M.D. of Mid Michigan Radiology Associates. "The new scanner adds to the depth of services that we can offer under one roof for patients on a busy schedule."
MidMichigan Health accepts physician orders from any location. To schedule a CT scan, call (989) 633-5252 or toll free (888) 367-2778.
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