New CT scanners at Dunedin Hospital

Media Release

22 January 2015

New CT scanners at Dunedin Hospital

Southern patients are benefitting from new state of the art CT scanners in the Oncology and Radiology Departments at Dunedin Hospital.

CT scanners use X-rays to produce 3D pictures of the inside of a patient’s body which don’t show on ordinary x-ray images. These are used to help diagnose illness and trauma.

The new machines have replaced the hospitals existing nine year old Oncology and the eight year old Diagnostic Radiology Scanners with up-to-date systems to meet Southern DHBs commitments to cancer treatment and to diagnostic imaging as health priorities.

Photo above: Senior Charge Medical Radiation Technologist, Rebecca McKenzie with patient Robert Hogbin

Patient Robert Hogbin is delighted with the new Radiology CT scanner. Mr Hogbin has undergone scans in the old Radiology and Oncology CT scanners and said that,” the new technology is great, the machine is more comfortable and the time I’m not allowed to eat before the scan has been reduced.”

Southern DHB Senior Charge Medical Radiation Technologist, Rebecca McKenzie said that, “the team are really excited with the new scanners. The superior technology means that patients have a lower radiation dose with the same or better images produced. The new scanners are more comfortable for patient’s as the machine is bigger and the Radiology scanner has two X- ray tubes rather than one, which means a scan is faster, producing more accurate images as patients are less likely to move.”

The replacement of each Scanner took a period of eight weeks. This involved removing the old scanner, modifications to the CT cooling system and room to accommodate the new scanner, installation and commissioning of the new scanner and staff training. The Oncology Scanner was replaced first, followed by the Radiology Scanner, which was completed just before Christmas. This enabled staff from each Service to utilise the other Scanner while theirs was being replaced and minimised the potential impact of the replacement programme on patients.

“The new CT scanners deliver high quality medical imaging in a faster timeframe and will ensure that Southern DHB continues to meet the needs of patients. For Oncology this means maintaining waiting times for radiation treatment whilst also allowing for future demand,” commented Southern DHB Executive Director of Patient Services, Lexie O’Shea.

“The team work between the two teams in Radiology and Oncology during the installation of the new scanners was fantastic. Staff did a wonderful job ensuring the needs of each service were coordinated and that there was minimal effect on the provision of CT scans, particularly emergency scans, during the total sixteen week period,” she said.

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