Low radiation CT scans now at Saint Francis Hospital

Jul 20 2010

Patients requiring a CT scan at Saint Francis Hospital will now be exposed to up to 40 percent less radiation than traditional CT scans. The hospital has acquired state-of-the-art GE™ scanning equipment featuring Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASiR) that uses an advanced image reconstruction technique that makes it possible to dramatically reduce radiation dose without compromising image quality.

"We have the utmost concern for the safety of our patients," says John Smith, Director, Radiology Services. "This technology will not only provide us with a higher level of image quality for our physicians, but it will also minimize the risk to all patients, particularly children and young adults, who are more susceptible to harm from overexposure to radiation."  

Radiation dose for a particular study depends on multiple unique factors such as patient weight/build, type of scan, image area and resolution.  Customarily, the more radiation used, the sharper the images. However, this new technology does not sacrifice image quality with the reduced radiation dosage. CT, or computed tomography technology, is the diagnostic exam of choice when people are ill or injured, or when a physician suspects a medical problem that is not easily detectable with a conventional physical examination.