Children’s Nuclear Medicine department and Dialysis unit recently acquired new equipment that improves patient treatment. The state-of-the-art dual camera scanner in Nuclear Medicine replaces the hospital’s single-head camera, producing high quality images in half the time. In Dialysis, the permanent reverse osmosis machine is the only one of its kind for pediatrics in Louisiana. Unlike the portable machines previously used, this machine is permanent, creating pure water vital for hemodialysis treatment.

 

Installed in October, the dual camera scanner by Siemens can take front and back body scans simultaneously, decreasing the length of time a child is under the scanner and the injection dose needed to produce the images. While patients watch movies from a screen above their heads, medical staff can examine heart, kidney, stomach, and brain function as well as bone growth. The machine can also show images of a beating heart, hot spots on the brain and the location of tumors.

 

“Children of all ages, including babies just a few days old in the NICU, can be scanned,” said Nancy Williams, nuclear medicine technologist. “Some of our longest tests such as the renal (kidney) and gastro tests last an hour and a half while bone scans take just 15 to 30 minutes.”

 

For children who cannot lie down on the machine, it swings open, allowing the child’s bed to be placed underneath. For esophageal testing, patients sit in a chair and swallow pieces of food as the machine images them. Through fusion software, the scanned images can be superimposed on MRI and CT scans.

 

“For kids, we need faster, better quality images. The scanner allows us to provide more information to the doctors,” said Susan Hubbard, nuclear medicine technologist.      

 

In addition to the new scanner, an automated reverse osmosis machine was installed in the Dialysis unit in February. The machine takes city water and filters it to remove contaminants in order to obtain pure water for hemodialysis treatment.

 

“This machine is state-of-the art, the best on the market,” said Dr. Matti Vehaskari, chief of Pediatric Nephrology. “It is very important for the children of Louisiana because it’s the only machine of its kind in the state.”

 

The machine improves city water quality and prevents the chance of chemicals reaching children undergoing hemodialysis treatment.

 

“Unlike conventional reverse osmosis systems, this is the Cadillac of systems because it is automated,” said Evie Jenkins, nurse manager of the Dialysis unit. “Chemicals cannot enter the loop that distributes water to the dialysis machines, increasing the desired outcome for patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.”

 

In addition to helping dialysis patients, the new system can help during emergency situations.

 

“This centralized purification system is extremely unique,” said Dr. Diego Aviles, director of the Dialysis program. “In case of an emergency, such as a storm, we can use the water from the hospital well and convert it.”