The trust has ordered a SOMATOM Definition Flash CT scanner from Siemens Healthcare to provide fast, low-dose images of patients in its new major trauma and stroke centre.

 

The move comes a year after St George’s Hospital was designated one of the capital’s four major trauma centres by Healthcare for London. As such it offers immediate access to specialist care and treatment for patients with serious injuries in the South West London and Surrey regions.

 

 

The installation of the Definition Flash will support this service by enabling whole-body scanning at the fastest available speed (430 mm/s) and with a temporal resolution of 75ms. This means a patient who is 6ft 6ins tall can be fully scanned in less than five seconds. The need for sedation is also reduced as the patient does not have to remain still for so long.

 

Located close to the resuscitation area in accident and emergency, the scanner will also perform acute stroke and vascular imaging as well as imaging of all emergency cases including paediatrics. With the addition of perfusion imaging software, the hospital will also be able to benefit from a 3D evaluation package for assessing blood flow in stroke patients. Furthermore, the scanner can perform a scan of an entire heart in just 250 milliseconds – less than half a heart beat - and can image hearts with a fast pulse or an irregular beat without the need for beta blockers.

 

“The Definition Flash will provide us with fast and accurate imaging of major trauma, stroke and emergency cases leading to a much earlier and more accurately-targeted treatment”

 Andrew Stewart, radiology manager at the hospital, said: “The Definition Flash will provide us with fast and accurate imaging of major trauma, stroke and emergency cases leading to a much earlier and more accurately-targeted treatment. Its speed, image quality and dedicated software applications will be vital for the comprehensive imaging of stroke patients ‘at the door’ to ensure rapid access to the most-appropriate treatment.”

 

Malcolm Pickering of Siemens Healthcare added: “The Definition Flash surpasses current standards for speed and image quality while maintaining the lowest possible dose. This will be extremely beneficial to the range of acute cases presenting at the hospital.”