Northampton Hospital revamps nuclear medicine department

11 February 2010

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust has revamped its Nuclear Medicine department with the installation of state-of-the-art imaging equipment from Siemens Healthcare.

A Symbia S SPECT and Symbia T2 TruePoint SPECTCT hybrid plus a c.cam for nuclear cardiology have extended the range of diagnostic procedures offered. The systems have been installed at new premises on the hospital site to provide an advanced service.

The Nuclear Medicine department covers a range of diagnostic and monitoring needs, including oncology. The hybrid Symbia T2 combines a variable angle dual detector SPECT with a 2-slice CT for superior image quality and versatility. Its installation has enabled the Trust to take on additional patients and maximise the benefits of two high quality systems in one.

The installation of Siemens’ c.cam means that patients will no longer have to travel to another hospital for nuclear cardiology scans. Featuring an open and patient-friendly design, the unit will be used to assess chest pain to make sure patients are referred for the most appropriate tests.

“In our department we see a lot of repeat patients due to the type of scans we offer. It’s been great to see the reaction of our regular visitors and they have noticed a big difference during scans,” said Sue Wilson, Head of Nuclear Medicine at Northampton General Hospital.

“The images we see are of a very high quality and provide us with greater depth of information. The hybrid SPECTCT is the most appropriate option for our patient mix and has enabled us to keep up with the latest technology.”

“Northampton General Hospital’s new Nuclear Medicine department has enabled the Trust to reduce referrals and offer an advanced diagnostic service in-house to patients,” said Graham Walker, Regional Sales and Corporate Business Manager at Siemens Healthcare. “Compatibility with other systems means that the department can work smoothly alongside other areas of the hospital.”