New high-tech CT scanner for North Shore Hospital

Media release
6 November 2003

New high-tech CT scanner for North Shore Hospital

North Shore Hospital is to get a new multi-slice CT scanner (computerised tomography) that will not only scan patients faster but also enable images to be viewed in 3D.

Radiology clinical leader Dr Trevor Chan says the hospital’s current CT scanner is a single slice machine, meaning it only takes images across one (transverse) plain.

The new multi-slice scanner will take 16 slices at a time enabling radiologists to view images in 3D via flat screen computers.

“The technology is complex, but essentially the new CT scanner will allow us to view an image of a broken bone or an organ from any direction.

“Previously we would have to take several scans to get the same information, so with the new multi-slice CT scanner we expect to scan patients faster and do more complex scans.”

To accommodate the new CT scanner, which is due to become operational in January, the hospital’s radiology department will undergo some refurbishment work over the next few weeks.

Dr Chan says the existing CT scanner will be moved into a temporary location within the hospital’s new Outpatients Department next week.

This will then allow the old CT area to be refurbished to accommodate the new multi-slice scanner.

During the relocation of the old CT scanner there will be no CT scanner service available at North Shore Hospital from November 10 to November 13.

“Limited numbers of acute patients requiring CT scans will go to Auckland City Hospital or to a private CT scanner across the road from North Shore Hospital during this period,” says Dr Chan.

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