Al Rahba Hospital, a Seha Health System facility in Abu Dhabi, has introduced a state-of-the-art CAT scan system.

The well-known procedure requires special x-ray equipment with sophisticated computer technology to produce multiple images of the inside of a person’s body.  By simultaneously scanning multiple “slices”—of the body, the new system at Al Rahba Hospital has the ability to conduct faster and more thorough body scans.

The unit is located close to the ER for easy access of emergency patients and is open 24 hours a day.

The 64-slice computed scanner has four times as many detector channels as CT scanner, combining unrivalled image quality with remarkable speed. It can produce detailed pictures of any organ and provide sharp, clear, three-dimensional images, down to mapping blood vessels.

The system delivers 40mm coverage per rotation, which according to hospital officials, will dramatically reduce examination times while keeping the radiation levels in the lowest possible range.

“The fields of application for this type of equipment are quite broad,” said Dr Nikolay Matev, chief of Service for the Medical Imaging Department at Al Rahba.

“General CT examination of the head, spine, chest and abdomen are most common, but the procedure can also be used to precisely take images of a patient’s pelvis or other extremities.”

Whole body trauma examinations are the most important application of the new CAT scan system at Al Rahba Hospital. Paediatric imaging, lung screenings, and brain scans are among the other key practices where CAT technology can make the difference between life and death.

“Cerebral bleeding for example needs to be measured with the utmost accuracy as well as in a timely efficient manner,” added Dr Matev.

“Over the past few years CAT technology has advanced significantly. We can now for example, create images of remarkable accuracy of a patient’s coronary arteries, in turn being able to treat heart issues faster and more appropriately.”

A scan of the whole body takes about 30 seconds—about half the time it takes with more traditional equipment. The 64-slice scanner can gather a high-resolution image of a heart, brain or lungs in just seconds. Dr Matev said that this reduces the need for multiple tests and invasive procedures for many of the hospital’s patients.

Al Rahba Hospital is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) and is managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International.-TradeArabia News Service