CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

Health

Discussion

March 14, 2007

New advanced CT scanner helping Woodland patients

By Woodland Medical Center

Woodland Medical Center announced that they have added a state-of-the-art multi-slice Computed Tomography (CT) scanner to their facility. The new Brilliance CT scanner from Philips Medical Systems features advanced technology that produces split-second high quality images, permitting doctors to see more anatomical detail in a fraction of the time needed for other tests. With this new CT scanner, Woodland Medical Center’s doctors will be able to more effectively detect and treat a range of life threatening illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and lung disease. The possibility of discovering disease in an early stage, when a wider array of effective treatment options may be available, will help doctors make an accurate diagnosis, and recommend appropriate treatment for their patients.

According to Melissa Hutcherson, Director of Radiology, “We can use the extensive image information we get from the Brilliance CT scanner to generate very detailed 3D images which can be used for diagnosis and also shared very quickly with referring physicians and surgeons, where needed, for pre-surgical planning and for treatment evaluation and follow up.”

The unmatched speed and sub-millimeter detail of the new CT scanner will also contribute to more rapid assessment and decision making in trauma cases, where physicians may have to make life and death decisions within minutes.

Patients needing a CT scan will find that Woodland Medical Center’s new scanner offers a much more pleasant experience. Having your heart and coronary arteries evaluated using a CT scanner reduces the need for drugs to regulate the rhythm of the heart. And there is no hospital stay required. With much faster scan times patients will usually be asked to carry out one brief breath hold during each scan.

“Older patients and those with breathing difficulties or some other distress will really appreciate the shorter exams,” says Anna Linley Higginbotham, Director of Marketing “We’ll have them in and out much faster, and their doctors will be able to access detailed, definitive results within minutes.”

All CT scanners use X-rays, however the new Brilliance scanner uses a significantly lower amount of X-ray energy than many of the other CT systems on the market.

“While we need the critical anatomical information we get from a CT scan, we always want to limit the X-ray dose to the patient to the absolute minimum possible, especially for children,” says Hutcherson, “Our new Brilliance scanner features unique technology that ensures we get exceptional images with significantly lower dose to the patient. And, it has specific built-in pediatric protocols that further minimize the dose to children,” she says.

Another advantage the hospital anticipates is the ability to provide more large patients with a CT scan option. The new Brilliance scanner has a table weight capacity of up to 440 pounds.

“In the past, being able to handle some larger patients was sometimes a challenge, because most equipment simply can’t accommodate them,” says Higginbotham, “With the Brilliance CT, we can handle the additional body weight, and those patients will be able to benefit from this great diagnostic technology as well.”

A CT scan produces a cross-sectional image of the human anatomy which helps the clinician to rule out or confirm the presence of certain disease, and in some cases to evaluate the extent of injuries to a trauma patient, such as someone involved in an automobile accident. During the non-invasive test, the patient is placed on a table and moved incrementally through the squared off donut-shaped scanner while an X-ray beam is projected through cross sections of their anatomy. The X-ray energy passes through the patient and is recorded on electronic detectors in the scanner. This information is then sent to a specialized computer that reconstructs the information into individual slices and combines them sequentially into a comprehensive volume image of the entire area scanned. The thinner the slices, the more revealing the detail is in the resulting images, and the more definitive the exam results.

Woodland Medical Center is pleased to be able to offer this important improvement in healthcare to its patients. Woodland Medical Center has been providing quality healthcare services to the Cullman area for more than 30 years. Patient referrals may be made by calling 256-739-3500.

Text Only
Health
  • Don’t Pass the salt, please

    Salt is probably the most widely used condiment in the world. It’s no secret that salt makes almost everything taste better, with the possible exception of ice cream.

    June 23, 2010

  • Strawberry Fluff.jpg Got the Munchies? How to Choose Healthy Snacks

    When you get hungry for a healthy snack, where do you turn? Some vending machines contain a few healthy selections like juices, fruit or yogurt. You can bring your own granola bars, fruit, sunflower seeds or vegetables, like raw carrots, celery or radishes with you to the office. This will satisfy that need for something crunchy, while providing you with some of the five servings of fruits and vegetables that you need daily.
     

    June 23, 2010 1 Photo

  • Shopping Guide for Nutritious Meals

    There may not be a one-stop-shopping place for all the healthy foods you need to make every recipe you want to try, but you can find lots of nutritious ingredients and whole, natural foods at local grocery stores, farmer’s markets and health food stores.
     

    June 23, 2010

  • Where to go for a specialized nutritional plan?


    There are scores of books, infomercials, pamphlets and other kinds of literature on nutrition. The shelves of bookstores are filled with literally thousands of books that are loaded with good advice on eating balanced diets, taking nutritional supplements and organic gardening. Many Web sites have healthy recipes for people who are concerned about what goes into their bodies. Weight loss centers and doctors who specialize in healthy weight loss are springing up all over the country to help combat a national epidemic of obesity.

    June 23, 2010

  • What’s all he fuss about body-weight, body fat, and what is a BMI?

     Body Mass Index- or BMI - is a term used by doctors and weight loss professionals to help determine the fat content in a person’s body make-up. It is a general - but not specific- indicator of how much fat is present.

    June 23, 2010

  • Organic gardening.jpg Organic vs. Inorganic Gardening

     We’ve all heard horror stories about how dangerous commercial fertilizers and pesticides are. But the future of these chemical based sprays and systemic gardening materials may look brighter.

    June 23, 2010 1 Photo

  • Super foods, Live Foods and Whole Foods - What they can do for you

    The newest buzzwords in the world of nutrition and health foods — superfood — refers foods that are filled with phytonutrients. Whole foods, and live foods, are other terms you should become familiar with, as they are extremely beneficial to your health.
     

    June 23, 2010

  • Blueberries.jpg Good things come in small packages

    Consider the humble blueberry, not as large and showy as other summer fruits, like for instance a juicy peach, or an impressive watermelon. But the diminutive little blueberry is packed with nutrients that will not only make you healthier, but smarter.
         

    June 23, 2010 1 Photo

  • Nutrition’s Role in Your Lifestyle starts earlier than you think

    Before you were even born, your mother played a role in giving you a healthy or an unhealthy start in life.

    June 19, 2010

  • Health dept. preparing for flu season By Karen Williamson

    KARENW@CULLMANTIMES.COM

    While mandatory reporting for flu cases is not required at the moment, the Cullman County Health Department is gearing up to offer vaccines to lessen a potential outbreak.

    October 16, 2007