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OLBH 64-Slice CT Scan Technology Featured on Oprah and Today Show
In her October 19 episode entitled "The Number One Killer of Women Revealed," Oprah Winfrey underwent a CT scan to determine the health of her heart. The technology the show spotlighted, and which was used to capture crystal-clear 3D images of Winfrey's beating heart, is available in Ashland at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH).
A month following the heart disease edition of Oprah Winfrey, NBC's "Today" show presented a week-long series entitled "Saving Your Life: Modern Medical Miracles." During the first episode of the series, "Today" anchor Matt Lauer spotlighted 64-slice CT technology and underwent a similar scan of his heart as Winfrey had done.
OLBH is the first hospital in the Tri-State area with 64-slice CT capabilities. In August 2005, OLBH unveiled the LightSpeed(r) VCT, the world's fastest, clearest and most accurate CAT scan. "This technology revolutionizes how we diagnose and treat heart disease in the same way the mammogram changed how we looked at breast cancer," Ben Roach, M.D., OLBH's Radiology medical director, said. "You can spend a lifetime worrying about your heart, or in a few minutes find out if you have anything to worry about."
The CT, in a single rotation, 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 OLBH physicians 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. In 10 seconds, the doctors can obtain a complete, detailed body scan to view anatomy at clarity sometimes not possible even through the most complex of surgeries.
Officials at OLBH are proud to be the first hospital in the area offering this new state-of-the-art CT imaging system. "It is exciting to see national attention for 64-slice technology and how it is changing how physicians diagnose heart disease and chest pain," Terri Hannon, OLBH director of Radiology, said. "Oprah and the Today show are very influential, and they did a wonderful job in highlighting the cardiovascular disease problem in our country. However, it's important to know that the diagnostic capabilities highlighted are not exclusive to big cities like Oprah's native Chicago or Matt's New York...thanks to OLBH this technology is available to our community."
OLBH's system was the first in the state of Kentucky, and was only the 85th facility in the country to install the ground-breaking technology. Other prestigious facilities with VCT technology include Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, Baylor University Medical Center in Texas, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California, Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. and the University of Washington Medical Center.
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