Basic HTML Version
Saint Alphonsus Health System invests in new technologies
to more quickly diagnose and treat heart disease and stroke
IT CAN BE HARD
to find and fix a problem if you can’t see it clearly.
That’s why Saint Alphonsus has invested in bringing state-of-the-
art computed tomography (CT) technology to our communities.
CT scanners use special x-ray equipment to take multiple pic-
tures—called slices—of internal structures, such as organs, bones
and blood vessels. A computer program then reconstructs all these
slices into detailed 2-D and 3-D images. It’s used to identify condi-
tions such as heart disease, stroke and bone disorders. And it allows
Saint Alphonsus specialists to quickly and effectively treat patients.
Advanced technology, locally
The 80-slice CT is the leading technology standard in many metro
areas across the country. Now it is also available in Nampa, Ontario
and Baker City.
This scanner is designed to precisely detect a large array of
conditions. It will allow physicians to diagnose and treat many
conditions locally instead of sending patients out of the community.
“When time is of the essence, every second saved can mean the
difference in a quality outcome and sometimes even save a life,”
says Curtis Coulam, MD, Saint Alphonsus Radiologist. “Since the
80-slice CTs are among the industry’s cutting-edge technology,
virtually all conditions can now be diagnosed with precision right
in the patients’ local community.”
The world’s most advanced CT scanner
now in Boise
The Aquilion ONE 640-slice CT scanner is the only one in the
Pacific Northwest and is now available at Saint Alphonsus Regional
Medical Center. As the region’s Trauma, Cardiac and Stroke Center,
Saint Alphonsus cares for the most critically ill and injured. The
640-slice CT is unparalleled in its capabilities to visualize injuries,
detect and measure toothpick-thin blockages in blood vessels, detect
hard-to-sense changes in blood flow, and create flawless 3-D images
in less than a heartbeat. All of this is done with the least amount
of radiation possible, providing doctors with the highest-quality
images in the quickest time possible.
“The 640-slice CT is the only scanner of its kind in the Pacific
Northwest and is extremely beneficial for the complex trauma
and critical patients we see,” says Dr. Coulam. “Not only are
these images incredibly clear and accurate; they are obtained using
unprecedented low levels of radiation never thought possible before.
A new era in low radiation dose CT scanning has dawned, and
Saint Alphonsus is leading the way.
I expect patient dose will drop to less
than half their current levels without
any loss in resolution or quality. This
scanner will ultimately increase a
patient’s chance for survival and a
better long-term outcome.”
SAVING LIVES
JUST GOT A LITTLE EASIER
Left: CT angiogram of the
heart and curved, multi-planar
reformatted images of the heart.
Right: CT angiogram cerebral
perfusion map.
Health & Healing
www.saintalphonsus.org
9