Frisbie Memorial Hospital today announced the installation of a powerful and compact Computed Tomography (CT) system offering improvements from earlier CT models in diagnostic capabilities at low dose radiation levels - up to 40 percent lower compared to an average medical facility - and designed for sustainability and ease-of-use. General Electric's (GE) Optima CT660 enables fast, high performance imaging for patients in a variety of clinical settings, including cardiac, neurological, emergency room and routine CT scans. The Optima CT660, which is scalable up to 128 slices, replaces Frisbie Memorial's 64-slice CT scan.

To publically announce the installation of this new cutting-edge technology, representatives from GE Healthcare will be arriving from locations throughout all North America to be onsite at Frisbie Memorial Hospital on October 26, 2011. This official launch recognizes Frisbie Memorial as the first facility in the United States to install the Optima CT660 system. In addition, Frisbie Memorial Hospital will be designated as GE's official Optima CT660 "show site." Hospitals, nation-wide, will have the opportunity to visit Frisbie Memorial to learn more about the Optima CT660's advanced diagnostic capabilities.

Already in use at hundreds of sites across Europe, Latin American and Asia, Frisbie Memorial is the first hospital in all North America to install GE's Optima CT660 that is both ecomagination and healthymagination-certified, two of GE's global initiatives aimed at transforming healthcare delivery through innovation, partnerships and sustainability. As a result, Frisbie Memorial Hospital patients now have access to quality CT imaging with a reduced dose of radiation. "Frisbie Memorial Hospital is committed to providing our patients with the highest quality CT images at the lowest radiation dose possible. This new scanner gives us the latest tools available to accomplish that," states Carrie Aubut, RT (R) (CT), Lead CT Technologist at Frisbie Memorial Hospital. The lower dose was confirmed during acceptance testing by Frisbie Memorial's Health Physicist, Arthur Savard, Ph.D., DABMP, Cardinal Medical Physics Services. His report stated, "Radiation dose was remarkably low. I would suggest doing pediatric patients on this unit."

Moreover from an operational standpoint, this new equipment makes good business sense for Frisbie Memorial. "The Optima CT660 is an ideal replacement for our VCT 64. No room or wiring changes were needed. It provides safer scans, faster patient set-up and uses less electricity. Our scanning quality and efficiency go up, and operating costs go down. Exactly what we need to do in this economy," said Dean DeMaster, RT (N), CNMT, MBA, Director of Imaging Services at Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

An ecomagination-certified product, GE's Optima CT660 is also among the world's most energy efficient Volume CT systems, using about 60 percent less energy than early scanners. Additionally, its lighter weight reduces transportation costs while its environmental design addresses refurbishment and end-of-life recycling. In line with Frisbie Memorial's Go Green initiatives, which include hospital-wide recycling and energy conservation efforts, all components of the Optima CT660 are completely recyclable at end of life.

Lower Dose by Design
GE's Optima CT660 features advanced tools to use less radiation while enhancing imaging quality. Standard on the Optima CT660, "Dose Check" technology notifies and alerts CT users prior to scanning if the estimated dose is above their institution's set values, requires explicit user authority checks when estimated dose exceeds the alert values, and provides for audit logging, review and protocol change control capabilities. Frisbie Memorial currently uses GE's Featherlight software so that pediatric patients received low-dose radiation.