The Christie connecting the scanner to the injector for the benefit of patients
The nuclear medicine department at The Christie, Manchester recently achieved an important ‘first’. Having invested in Bayer’s CT fluid delivery device Centargo, they are the first hospital in the country to connect Centargo to their scanner using an Injector Scanner Interface (ISI connection). Consultant medical physicist and nuclear medicine group leader Dr Heather Williams explains why this is such a vital development to their service “The ISI connection ensures that the contrast is triggered at the right moment during the arterial phase to produce an accurate diagnostic image. Using the Centargo to automate this decision has helped us achieve consistent CT image quality.”
ISI connectivity isn’t the only feature that allows the radiographer to focus on the patient. The department now utilises the Smart Protocols software that accompanies Centargo, and as Mary Gbongay, senior radiographer explains, this has made a huge difference to personalising patient care. “With the implementation of Smart Protocols, we now provide a tailored, weight-based contrast dose to patients, along with a saline flush.” Gbongay continues “The device automatically adjusts the contrast volume based on the patient’s weight. We can now also perform saline test injections; all the while observing the pressure before the scan and make adjustments, when necessary, thereby reducing the risk of extravasation. This facility has significantly improved the quality of care and patient safety, particularly for the group of patients we are scanning, such as those with cancer.”
Ensuring continuity of care and good diagnostic image quality is of paramount importance when making changes to working practices and Dr Williams believes this has been achieved. “Our radiologists continue to be very happy with the CT image quality and we have noted the improved consistency since adopting Smart Protocols. The Centargo is also used in our radiology department, which helps us maintain a consistent approach of CT contrast administration and allows us to maintain a consistent image quality between nuclear medicine and radiology.”
Mary concludes “We have developed great confidence in using Centargo and the ISI connection recently. The consolidation of the start and stop buttons in a unified location serves to streamline operational focus and workflow. The implementation of all these changes together allows us to focus on giving our patients the best care possible”.
Picture: Advanced clinical technologist Mukarrama Durrani, clinical specialist – Bayer Sanya Mulavdic, advanced clinical technologist Cathryn Melia, advanced clinical technologist Lucy Middleton, lead clinical technologist Wendy Jennison, senior radiographer Mary Gbongay and consultant medical physicist and nuclear medicine group leader Dr Heather Williams.
This article has been funded by Bayer and was written in collaboration with The Christie Hospital.
PP-M-CEN-GB-0238 – July 2024
This news story has been sponsored by the companies concerned and does not represent the views or opinions of RAD Magazine.
