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Fast scans give 3-D picture of what¡¯s going on inside the body

Story by Kerri Robins; Photo by Christine Sheasgreen

Computed tomography scanner, CT scanner, or ¡®cat¡¯ scanner ... nothing to do with scanning cats, obviously, this marvellous machine is indispensible to doctors in making quick patient diagnoses.

¡°There¡¯s a lot of uses for CT scanners,¡± says Heather Ward, Site Director, Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital. ¡°Doctors can scan for head injuries, cancers and make dementia assessments with the results available fairly quickly.¡±

So while the Fort Saskatchewan Health Centre was being replaced by the new Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital, the Community Hospital Foundation began fundraising for a CT scanner.

¡°I¡¯m astounded at the regional support we received,¡± says Margaret Wade, Past Chair of the Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital Foundation. ¡°We raised $2.2 million between 2010 and 2012.

¡°We had generous donations from Shell Canada, Keyera and Sherritt International, but the rest came from the tireless work and commitment of the people in our neighbourhood.¡±

All of the funds raised went toward purchase of the CT scanner, which produces cross-sectional patterned images that create 3-D views of the body to give doctors a good picture of what¡¯s going on inside. This vastly increases the doctor¡¯s ability to screen for and more accurately diagnose medical conditions.

¡°I¡¯ve had a number of CT scans over the years,¡± says Katherine Payne, who suffered injuries from a car accident many years ago.

¡°Not only are they quick and non-invasive, but they relieve some stress because you know the doctor can find out right away what the problem is.¡±

The CT scanner made its debut at the opening of the new hospital in the spring of 2012 and it¡¯s proving its worth.

A scan only takes 10 minutes and doesn¡¯t hurt. But that¡¯s not the best thing: patients don¡¯t have to wait long for their scan, and receive results in less than a couple of hours.

¡°The scanner is a great tool in emergency situations,¡± says Ward. ¡°Doctors can diagnose severe stomach pains or head injuries quickly and accurately and, if the patient must be transported, the scan can assist in stabilizing patients before they leave.¡±

For information on the Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital Foundation, please visit .

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