PLANO, Texas, Jan. 12, 2006 -- Presbyterian Hospital of Plano has acquired one of the first LightSpeed VCT computed tomography (CT) imaging systems in the North Texas area to provide highly detailed images of the human body while reducing radiation exposure to patients and improving physicians' ability to diagnose patient conditions.

Manufactured by GE Healthcare, the LightSpeed VCT CT scanner provides doctors with high-resolution images in a fraction of the time previously required and enables them to more accurately diagnose a wider variety of patient conditions.

According to GE Healthcare, the use of CT scanners to assist physicians in clinical diagnosis is increasing. An estimated 100 million CT scans are performed annually around the world, including nearly 50 million in the United States. This growth means new demands on equipment and staff, along with new and expanding applications like trauma evaluation, coronary artery calcification exams, neurological assessment and CT angiography studies.
"Our new LightSpeed VCT scanner enables us to help physicians effectively diagnose or rule out three life-threatening conditions with one simple, non-invasive procedure: aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, and coronary artery disease, which happen to be the most common causes of chest pain for emergency room patients," eExplained Michael Putman, director of Radiology and Medical Imaging forPresbyterian Hospital of Plano. Presbyterian Hospital of Plano acquired the LightSpeed VCT scanner in October 2005 and already is providing numerous benefits to doctors and patients.

Patient benefits include:
* Reduced radiation dose
* Faster, more accurate scanning means faster patient exams
* Breathing lights help patients remain motionless during scans
* Less time needed for breath-holds, less patient stress
* Greater flexibility (e.g., can obtain thicker or thinner slices without rescanning)
* Full CT angiography coverage
* Better cross sectional displays and 3D images
* Captures heart images in a single breath-hold

Physician benefits include
* Full suite of applications to assist in examination of the
head, abdomen, spine and chest
* Variable-speed scanning - rotation speed can be adjusted in increments of 0.1 seconds, giving clinicians an unprecedented degree of control over procedures. Variable scan speeds allow clinicians to image patients with a variety of heart rates, giving doctors more control to meet a specific clinical need.

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