Camera offers new view of the heart (USA)

Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Georgia, USA, purchased a new D-SPECT Nuclear Myocardial Perfusion camera for use in the cardiology department. The new camera allows for advanced high-speed imaging of the heart while lowering the radiation dosage. According to the size of the patient, the system alters the time length of the scan and the dose administered to produce a sharper image quality each time the equipment is used for cardiac screenings. "This camera is ten times faster than the previous system we used," said David Spence, director of diagnostic imaging. "Images can be obtained in about 12 minutes compared to the older system that took 40 minutes allowing for better patient comfort and time for the scan acquisition of the heart. The images are of exceptionally high quality and allow for better interpretation of the patient’s heart." The system is designed like a chair with a camera that is stationary to the patient reducing motion. Patients with breathing difficulties can be scanned upright for all images. The system is also designed to accommodate patients weighing up to 500 pounds