Computed Tomography Department
SOMATOM go.Top
As part of the continuous development and upgrade of medical equipment, the OLYMPION General Clinic in Patra, installed the new state-of-the-art CT scanner SOMATOM go.Top 128 slices, of the company SIEMENS.
The main advantages of the new CT scanner are:
- taking a smaller dose of radiation
- reducing the duration of the examination
- improving the examinee's experience
- the ability to perform highly diagnostic tests in all modern CT applications, including advanced imaging.
It has a specialized dose reduction program that allows all tests to be performed with a very low radiation dose (up to 80% less), against an older generation of CT scanners.
In addition, it enables users to perform in a short time and with excellent quality, time consuming and high imaging requirements exams such as Coronary angiography CT-scan.
The reduced duration of the examination and the improvement of the examinee's experience is achieved by the use of a tablet for the examination by the technologist, which allows him to stay next to the examinee for most of the examination, providing a greater sense of security. In addition, remote control technology for patient placement and the use of a built-in camera to monitor the patient's position during the examination, enhances the patient's comfort.
This new investment marks a new era in the diagnosis of conditions of the heart, lungs, blood vessels, brain, liver, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract and musculoskeletal system and is an expression of our commitment to providing high quality medical services.
CT Angiography
The CT Angiography is carried out with the use of the new state-of-the-art CT scanner SOMATOM go.Top, of SIEMENS company.
This is an extremely simple exam, with low radiation dose, that requires no preparation. Its duration is about 10 minutes and the imaging slices are taken by holding one breath in 6-8 seconds. There is only one intravenous drug injection to outline the coronary arteries, and immediately after the test, the patient can continue his normal activities.
Through this tomography, coronary angiography is a routine examination with significant benefits for at least three population groups. For patients with atypical angina pectoris, individuals with high predisposing factors for coronary artery disease and patients with by-pass, who are thus relieved of the known process of sequential catheterization to control their grafts. In addition, the high speed of the machine, results in the minimization of the test time to the benefit of all the examinees.
SOMATOM DEFINITION
The hospital offers a modern 64-computed tomography system and two (2) dual-source multi-detector CT lamps, by Siemens Healthcare (SOMATOM DEFINITION). The use of two lamps allows high temporal resolution (temporal resolution 83 ms) and high spatial resolution (spatial resolution 0.6 mm).
The two lamps can be used simultaneously: (a) with a different high voltage (kV) value, usually 80 kV/ 140 kV (dual energy CT), that is, with different energy and different absorption spectrum of the tissues and organs of the test (spectral imaging) to characterize specific diseases and lesions of the body organs (e.g. kidney stone characterization), (b) at the same high voltage (kV) value, usually 120 kV (dual source CT), whereby and absorption spectrum of the tissue components and organs of the exminees for the detection of anatomy and conditions of the coronary arteries (CT angiography).
In addition, the system has three (3) different filters to balance the shape of the beam (head, body and heart), adaptive noise reduction in all three (3) dimensions, and an automatic dose reduction system for the examinee, with appropriate modification (fluctuation) of current (mA) during irradiation (Care Dose®).
Finally, the high speed of the machine (mm per tube rotation) results in the minimization of the test time to the benefit of the examinee. The thoracic examination and ventricular completed in 6 and 20 seconds respectively, while in the angiography and the examination of the musculoskeletal system of the machine is equipped with the most modern protocols, providing high diagnostic accuracy images and feature three-dimensional imaging (3D Imaging).
Computed Tomography Department (CT scan)
