Kettering General upgrades and expands CT facilities

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has replaced its CT scanner with a state-of-the-art Aquilion Prime SP 160 CT system from Canon Medical Systems.  In addition, the company supplied a software upgrade for a first generation Aquilion Prime CT scanner, installed in 2012. 

The upgrade brings the original scanner in line with the functionality of the latest system, which is equipped with technology including three-phase variable helical parameters (vHP), and offers fast patient throughput together with robust cardiac scanning and new diagnostic capabilities.

CT/MRI superintendent radiographer Zoe Saunders said: “Canon worked with the trust to ensure we were able to maintain our high throughput of patients during the installation of the new scanner and upgrade of the existing scanner.  This included provision of a Canon CT mobile system during the building works and system installation.”

Canon undertook a complete turnkey solution to expand the hospital’s CT area and to refurbish the CT examination and control rooms. The new scanner came with SURECardio and SURESubtraction head and neck, lung and ortho software packages. It was also delivered with the company’s latest bariatric couch with Tech Assist Lateral slide technology to ensure safety and comfort.

CT/MRI superintendent radiographer Georgina Waddington added: “We no longer have to wait for the new scanner to be available for paediatric or complex patients – both scanners provide excellent image quality at low dose.

“The applications team was very supportive in optimising our protocols for both the mobile and our new CT system.”

Photo: Superintendent radiographer Hayley Tartaglia, radiography team members Tony Squirrell and Anna Servillion, Canon Medical Systems account manager Colin Pellow,  CT/MRI superintendent radiographers Zoe Saunders and Georgina Waddington, and radiographers Pavan Kumar and Joyleen Sankar.

Published on page 32 of the March 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.