Sign up for the battlefordsNOW newsletter

Battlefords hospital foundation raising money for new CT scanner

May 6, 2016 | 12:17 PM

The Battlefords Union Hospital needs a new CT scanner and is looking to accomplish this through the financial support of its city’s residents.

Colais Fransoo, manager of the medical imaging unit, said the current model is nearly 11 years old, but the regular turnover rate for this technology is seven years

“The advancements in technology that are out there have come so far that we really need to catch up to speed for the patients,” she said. “We need to bring that advancement to the community for all to benefit.”

The scanner is currently used by roughly 5,000 to 6,000 people per year from all over Northern Saskatchewan. The hospital serves upwards of 15 patients a day, not including the 24-hour service for emergencies.

The major improvements of the new scanner include speed, quality, and dose. A new CT will take roughly half a second to create an image, compared to 25 seconds with the current model.

Fransoo said the increased speed is extremely significant when working with children and trauma cases, as they may have trouble staying still and holding their breath. 

There will also be a drastic improvement in the quality of the image, but Fransoo said one of the most significant changes is the decrease in patient dose.

“The radiation a patient is given with a CT scan is higher, so that’s something we’re always looking at, we want to minimize that as much as possible,” she said.

The new machine will also be able to accommodate larger people – both in terms of weight and diameter – who currently have to travel to Edmonton or Saskatoon for a scan.

The Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation has raised money for a new scanner, but have yet to secure enough. The foundation has also helped buy the hospital a digital mammogram machine and fluoroscopy machine. Fransoo said a new CT scanner will bring the entire unit up to speed.

“Without the foundation, medical imaging does not exist,” Fransoo said. “Our community is extremely fortunate to have it.”

Wednesday, May 18, CJNB, Q98 and 93.3 The Rock are holding a radiothon at the hospital to help raise money for the scanner.   

 

Sarah.rae@jpbg.ca

@sarahjeanrae