Новые сканеры в Саскачеване сократили время диагностики и улучшили качество снимков для более чем 2,8 тыс. пациентов

New scanners are providing quality diagnostic care to more than 2,800 patients in Saskatchewan through more detailed images. As a result, not only do the patients spend less time in scanning beds — "just 20 to 30 minutes as compared to up to an hour on older systems" — but the technology helps provide precise anatomical details when evaluating organ function, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said in a news release on Tuesday. There's also the scanner's functionality that can help reduce claustrophobia, the ministry said. “Investments in leading diagnostic technology continues to be a priority for our government as we work to put patients first and build access to high-quality care,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said in the release. As of Aug. 25, there are four StarGuide scanners in Western Canada and Sask. is home to two of them. Following an investment of $2.1 million from the Ministry of Health, the technology was introduced to the province for the first time in April last year at Regina General Hospital. It has, since then, been used by 1,634 patients for 2,856 exams. A second scanner at Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatoon began operating in Jan. this year following a $2 million donation from Irene and Leslie Dubé through the Royal University Hospital Foundation. At RUH, approximately 1,200 patients have undergone cardiac, bone, parathyroid and therapy-related scans, the release notes. “This technology allows our teams to capture images with higher resolution and greater comfort for patients, supporting our physicians in making confident, well-informed decisions about their patient care," Kevin Hare, Vice-President, Provincial Clinical and Support Services with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said in the news release. With the goal to ensure patients have the right care at the right time, closer to home, the ministry said it will continue "to explore opportunities to enhance diagnostic services across the province."