Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) has installed a new SPECT/CT suite in its nuclear medicine department. A Symbia Intevo Bold SPECT/CT from Siemens Healthineers has been installed along with a Medrad injector pump system for contrast-enhanced SPECT/CT studies.
The scanner’s improved CT capabilities mean faster imaging times and it also acts as a back-up for the main department. Processing software such as iMAR, SPECT/CT and VRT fusion, and xSPECT bone have improved image quality. In addition, the ability to generate SUV values using the xSPECT Quant software has been a helpful tool to supplement visual interpretation, particularly in neuroblastoma patients imaged with I123-mIBG.
Patient experience was a major consideration and so paediatric radiographers researched and designed the environment. An entertainment system with changeable ambient lighting helps patients feel comfortable during their scan. Deputy superintendent radiographer Pippa Mashford said: “It is very difficult to have an environment that is suitable for all ages so the installation of immersive technology has enabled us to personalise the room for each child, which has been very well received by patients and families.”
The team hopes that the scanner will help develop new services and aid research.
Photo: Radiographers Reena Harsiana and Niamh Matthews, deputy superintendent radiographer Pippa Mashford, nuclear medicine consultant Dr Lorenzo Biassoni, radiographer Emma Howarth, nuclear medicine physicist Leanne Price and senior radiographer Ben Thurlow.
Published on page 8 of the March 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.