LITTLETON, Colo., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Littleton Adventist Hospital is the only Level II Trauma Center in the world and the third medical center outside of South Africa to successfully implement Statscan, a new low-dose, digital x-ray system that can take images of the entire body in 13 seconds, into it's emergency department. This device provides the hospital's trauma team with the critical information necessary to detect trauma-related injuries that may not be immediately apparent upon initial examination of a patient.
Littleton Adventist Hospital will debut the Statscan Critical Imaging System at a press conference on Monday, October 18, at 9:00 a.m. in conference rooms 1& 2, followed by a system demonstration in the emergency department.
"As a Level II Trauma Center, the Statscan system allows us to evaluate patients more quickly," says Jodi Chambers, M.D., medical director, Littleton Adventist Hospital Trauma Services. "This new technology also enables us to get high-quality images faster, potentially with less radiation exposure to the patient and hospital staff."
When a trauma patient arrives at Littleton Adventist Hospital, the staff works quickly to assess and stabilize the patient, who may have multiple injuries. Conventional x-rays can take more than 20 minutes, time lost in the "golden hour." The "golden hour" means that patients who receive specialized treatment within the first hour after a traumatic injury are more likely to have better outcomes.
"When you're working in trauma, time and information are vital," explains Chambers. "Advances in imaging technology help us to provide better patient care by giving us vital images sooner."
With the FDA-approved Statscan system, a full-body scan can be done in about 13 seconds, detecting fractures or other injuries that aren't immediately apparent.
With current equipment, doctors first take x-rays of the part of the body with the most obvious injury, possibly missing fractures in the extremities like the arms and legs. While it's most important to treat the most life-threatening injuries first, these secondary injuries can be critical to helping the patient make a full recovery.
"Certain fractures may be completely incapacitating if you don't pick them up early and treat them correctly," explains Chambers. "But sometimes it's hard to detect them if the patient is unconscious or there isn't an obvious physical deformity. The Statscan system has proven to be particularly advantageous in helping us to catch these types of problems earlier."
Unlike regular x-rays that take time to develop, the Statscan image can be displayed almost immediately at a viewing station. The digital technology allows doctors to magnify or rotate the image without affecting picture quality. In addition, the Statscan system emits up to 75 percent less radiation compared to current x-ray technology, depending on the part of the body being scanned.
The Statscan system had its beginnings in the diamond mines of South Africa. It was initially developed to scan workers at the end of the day to detect diamonds that could be hidden in clothing or possibly even swallowed. The goal of the system's developers was to create an x-ray device with excellent image quality but with radiation levels that were low and safe enough to be used daily. Medical imaging consultants working on the project immediately recognized its potential for emergency and trauma medicine.
The Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, a multi-billion dollar venture capital fund, and Netcare, the largest for-profit healthcare provider in the Southern Hemisphere, joined with the developers to create Lodox Systems, a consortium to develop and market the scanner for medical use worldwide via its U.S. based subsidiary located in South Lyon, Michigan.
Designers modified the system for hospitals, making it small enough to fit easily into an average bay in a trauma resuscitation unit. They also created a place for a gurney to slide under a C-shaped scanning arm, so the patient doesn't need to be moved, unlike many current x-rays or CT scanners where patients may have to be lifted off the gurney.
Littleton Adventist Hospital is part of Centura Health; a faith-based hospital system sponsored by Adventist Health System and Catholic Initiatives. Littleton Adventist Hospital is a full-service, acute-care, 175-bed hospital located on a beautifully landscaped campus. Known for its birthing services including Level III NICU, surgical services, and Level II Trauma Center and emergency care services; Littleton Adventist Hospital has been south Denver's premier full service medical facility since 1989.
For further information, please contact: Allison Hamm of Littleton Adventist Hospital, +1-303-734-8613, or pager, +1-303-203-5447.
Littleton Adventist HospitalCONTACT: Allison Hamm of Littleton Adventist Hospital,+1-303-734-8613, or pager, +1-303-203-5447