Leicester General plans to establish prostate embolisation service with latest C-arm
Leicester General Hospital has received the UK’s first Alphenix Sky + system from Canon Medical Systems. The system was installed in the hospital’s new interventional suite by managed service provider Althea.
The hospital’s clinical team and Althea’s technology team undertook an official procurement exercise last year to look at all the interventional systems on the market. The Alphenix Sky + system was shortlisted due to its advanced features, including the new Alphenix engine with a full 16-bit imaging chain and an integrated 3D workstation for improved workflow and user experience.
Interventional suite superintendent Sarita Modi said: “We are really excited here at Leicester to be home of the first Alphenix Sky + system in the UK. The trust has a number of Canon Medical imaging systems and their reliability and service is fantastic. Our choice for this particular system is firstly for ease of use and standardisation across the trust and secondly for the versatility of the newly designed double C-arm, enabling us to achieve a greater range of movement.
“In our first week of applications training, the radiographic team was able to carry out a prostate embolisation using the cone beam CT, a service that we will be establishing in the coming months. Our team has also been trained to perform biopsies using 3D needle guidance. Having had an excellent applications period, the radiographic team is confident with using the system and passing this knowledge onto other users. As a reference site, we look forward to showcasing the Alphenix Sky + and welcoming potential buyers.”
The high specification of the equipment included software modules such as AlphaCT. With its specialised Sky + C-arm, the system was designed for high speed, low dose CBCT imaging. The C-arm allows for complete rotation of the patient from either the right or left side of the table. It is considered ideal for developing Leicester General as a specialised site for prostate embolisation.
Althea delivers managed services and multi-vendor maintenance services to public and private hospitals in the UK and Ireland, that are designed to improve radiology, cardiology, endoscopy and biomed equipment availability while minimising costs under one contract.
Picture: The Alphenix Sky + system was welcomed by the Leicester General Hospital interventional team, led by superintendent Sarita Modi (pictured third from right), pictured with representatives from Althea and Canon Medical.
Published on page 12 of the September 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.