January 23, 2008
Dana-Farber installs new imaging equipment capable of completing scans faster, reducing wait times
The installation of a Toshiba CT (computed tomography) scanner, which began last week in the Lank Radiology Department, is one of the first milestones in a year-long project to update imaging technology services at Dana-Farber. The project will expand the Institute's imaging capacities by replacing older scanners with state-of-the-art equipment and increase the number of scanning systems to improve patient access to these technologies and reduce waiting times for appointments.
The addition of the "64-slice" Toshiba system brings the number of CT scanners at Dana-Farber to three. The two older machines, which have been in use for about seven years, will be replaced this year.
Compared to older CT scanning technology, the new machines make cross-sectional or slice-like images of internal organs and tissue in less time, with higher resolution and increased anatomical coverage, says Rick Tetrault, administrative director of Radiology. "These features are expected to contribute to a greater level of patient comfort during the scanning procedure and an overall improvement in image quality," he says.
The year ahead will also see the replacement of radiology and mammography imaging systems with more state-of-the-art technologies, including the installation of a second MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner. The new MRI will feature a "3-Tesla" magnetic field strength, an enhancement over the current 1.5-Tesla system, and allow for improved image quality and the continued development of new imaging applications.
"As new treatments are introduced, imaging will be used even earlier to assess if the tumor is responding," says Annick D. Van den Abbeele, MD, chief of the Department of Radiology. "The new imaging systems will not only offer superb imaging quality, but also new applications that will allow us to see inside the entire body and peak into tumors in a way that will provide new understanding of the mechanisms behind cancer and the response to therapy."
With the new equipment will come significant changes to the physical configuration and locations of care delivery in the Lank Center, as well as an increase in scope of the department's services.
— Robert Levy
robert_levy@dfci.harvard.edu
