LightSpeed VCT Scanner

Washington Adventist Hospital's state-of-the-art, CT imaging system, the 64-Slice CT Scanner uses the world’s first Volume Computed Tomography (VCT) system. This leading edge technology offers an innovative way for our physicians to obtain the information they need to diagnose disease and life-threatening illnesses – from head to toe – through a non-invasive procedure.

In a single rotation, the 64-Slice CT Scanner creates 64 high-resolution anatomical images as thin as a credit card. These images are combined to form a three-dimensional view of the patient’s anatomy to analyze the following, including others:

• Cardiovascular – The 64-Slice CT Scanner can capture images of the whole heart and coronary arteries in just 5 heartbeats, providing clearer images of cardiovascular anatomy. The speed is especially helpful in shortening breath holds for very sick and elderly patients.
• Chest Pain – The 64-Slice CT Scanner enables our physicians to immediately detect the three primary causes of mortality in patients with chest pain – aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism and coronary artery disease.
• Stroke – Once a stroke occurs, treatment must be delivered within an hour or less to ensure the best outcome for the patient. The 64-Slice CT Scanner offers the speed and resolution required for rapid imaging of blood vessels in the brain. Our physicians are now able to make a quick diagnosis and determine the best course of treatment while reducing the number of exams a patient may need to undergo.

Washington Adventist Hospital is breaking barriers in speed and accuracy of patient exams. Acquiring this state-of-the-art technology reflects our Hospital’s mission to deliver excellent health care to the community we serve.

Patient Benefits

• Faster patient exams – entire heart in 5 heartbeats, vascular CT angiography in 4 to 20 seconds, and a single organ in 1 second.
• Less time needed for breath holds, which can mean less stress for the patient.
• Easier access/wheelchair access to patient table – lower table height.
• Breathing lights help coach patients through breath holds – making it an easier exam.

Radiologist Benefits

• Diagnostic option for a radiology patient work-up.
• Expands practice by offering new and enhanced innovative cardiac procedures – 5 Beat Cardiac™, CT
• Angiography, Triple RuleOut™ and peripheral vascular procedures
• Full suite of dedicated cardiovascular procedures to analyze cardiac anatomy, coronary vessels, and functional data with one diagnostic exam
• Xtream™ FX workflow platform allows the physician to review the case within 5 to 10 minutes
• Physician can interact with patient during exam – technologist performs the exam Provide referring physicians with customized patient reports
• Automatic reformatting of images to the clinical views needed to help the physician make the diagnosis
• Scans as fast as 0.35 seconds. Variable speed capability as well. Higher-speed scanning translates to clearer, sharper images with fewer artifacts caused by patient movement or the motion of a beating heart.

Referring Physician Benefits

• Diagnostic option for the workup of a cardiac patient.
• Patient reports tailored to physician’s unique needs.

Contact Information

Patients and physicians who would like additional information on the LightSpeed VCT scanner may contact the Department of Radiology at Washington Adventist Hospital at (301) 891-5106.