Imaging (see more articles like this)

Florida Hospital Celebration Health has acquired a new, state-of-the-art, CT imaging system from GE Healthcare.  The LightSpeed VCT is a new generation of CT technology and Florida Hospital is an early adopter of this advanced diagnostic tool. 

With it, Florida Hospital Celebration Health brings a new era in diagnostic and cardiac imaging to Central Florida by offering a new innovative way for doctors to obtain the information they need to diagnose vascular and cardiovascular disease.

“Our new Volume CT system allows our physicians to perform new and enhanced procedures such as CT angiography of the coronary arteries,” said Sally Grady, director of imaging at Florida Hospital Celebration Health.  Now physicians are able to capture images of a beating heart in just five heartbeats, something no other CT system can offer.

In a single rotation, the Volume CT system 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 for the physicians at Florida Hospital to analyze. From these images, physicians can view such things as blockages in the coronary arteries, as well as the motion and pumping action of a patient’s heart.

“The 64-slice CT scan was painless, easy, and virtually risk-free,” said Stan Robson who has a history of coronary bypass surgery and stent placement, and recently underwent the test after suffering from shortness of breath.  The scan allowed doctors to look at the vessels and stents in his heart which did not show any significant stenosis or abnormal narrowing of the blood vessels.  “I believe if this technology would have been available years ago, doctors may have detected my heart problems earlier, and I may not have needed bypass surgery,” Robson added.

Because of the LightSpeed VCT’s unique capabilities, new and enhanced medical CT procedures can be offered at Florida Hospital Celebration Health including:

- 5-Beat Cardiac™ - The physician’s at Florida Hospital Celebration Health can capture images of the whole heart and coronary arteries in just five heartbeats – providing clearer images of cardiovascular anatomy and a shorter breath-hold for sick and elderly patients.

- Stroke Work-Up - Once a stroke occurs, it is commonly believed that treatment must be delivered within an hour or less to ensure the best outcome for the patient. The LightSpeed VCT offers Florida Hospital Celebration Health the speed and resolution required for rapid imaging of blood vessels in the brain. This enables physicians to make a quick diagnosis of stroke and determine the extent of damage, making this complex procedure easier and more routine for the physician. 

“We’re breaking barriers in speed and accuracy of patient exams and are now able to extend the range of quality diagnostic services thanks to our new LightSpeed VCT,” stated Grady. “The technology is greatly benefiting both our physicians and patients.  We’re excited to be the first hospital in the area to offer this medical innovation.”

Florida Hospital Celebration Health is a full-service hospital providing inpatient and outpatient services, 24-hour emergency care, maternity, cardiac services, diagnostic and catheterization, wellness programs, women's and men's health programs, as well as primary care and specialty physicians on-site. It is part of the Florida Hospital system of seven Central Florida hospitals.

In addition, Florida Hospital Orlando is expected to begin offering the LightSpeed VCT 64-slice scan within the next couple of months.