Benefits of the Flash CT scanner:
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Minimized radiation exposure for patients
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Decreased time for testing for patients who have difficulty remaining still or holding their breath
- Increased comfort for patients with chronic medical conditions who require frequent CT imaging
"The technology really is a benefit to patients who have a difficult time remaining still or holding their breath, specifically children and trauma patients. While our traditional scanners are certainly safe and appropriate for patients who require scans less often, the Flash CT also is designed for patients with chronic medical conditions who require frequent CT imaging," says Duane Mezwa, M.D., corporate chairman of Diagnostic Radiology at Beaumont.
The Flash CT scanner features two X-ray beams, yet minimizes a patient's exposure to radiation and time for testing. For example, a traditional CT scan of the chest cavity usually takes about 15 seconds to complete. The Flash CT scan of the chest cavity lasts about .6 seconds, capturing images of the heart in less than half of a heart beat and exposing the patient to much less radiation.
Researchers at Beaumont Hospitals led by Dr. Gilbert Raff, director of the Ministrelli Center for Advanced Cardiac Imaging, published a study earlier this year that found that the radiation dose for a diagnostic scan of the heart and blood vessels was cut on average by more than half with no effect on image quality. Cardiologist Kavitha Chinnaiyan, M.D., one of the authors of the study, says that the Flash CT will lower these doses even more.