The world’s newest head and neck cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner, featuring patented Metal Artefact Reduction, a 120kV generator and the very latest advances in radiographer assistance, has been installed at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI).
Installation of the Carestream CS 9600 CBCT at LRI was facilitated by LRI's long-term vendor-independent managed service provider Althea, working in partnership with Hulbert Dental ICT – UK sector specialist for Carestream Dental.
LRI is the first UK hospital to introduce the technology after being chosen as the only site worldwide, to undertake clinical verification of this new CBCT platform, specifically targeted around medical sector requirements.
As an important evolution on established dental CBCT systems, the CS 9600 allows clinicians to scan more than just teeth or MaxFacs regions, adding approval for Cervical Spine and Scaphoid imaging. Output images are automatically transferred to PACS along with user-defined recons, all in DiCOM format. The CS 9600 can also perform straightforward 2D OrthoPanTomograms and it even remembers the individual patient demographics, further improving workflow for follow-up imaging.
The cone beam CT scanner has similar geometry and footprint to an OPT machine, and is designed to maximise the use of increasingly limited real-estate. For many images the radiation dose to the patient is a fraction of that of a multi-slice CT scanner and it is quicker to use, reducing the patient visit from as much as 15 minutes, to around five minutes in total.
LRI was chosen specifically to put the machine through its paces in performing large volume CT scans of the sinuses, temporal bones and skull base. The scanner’s minimum voxel size of 75 microns gives these examinations superb image resolution. The new scanner will be used in the diagnosis and planning of Oral and ENT surgery, as well as the re-direction of a sizable proportion of its sinus and temporal bone imaging from a busy conventional CT service.
Colin Ross, radiology site manager, said “Before the CS9600, we were using the CS9300. We really liked the CS9300, but the CS9600 has many advantages over it. The CS9600 is very easy to use with patient positioning being particularly intuitive. The CS9600 also has a maximum KvP of 120 rather than 90 and offers significantly larger Fields Of View.”
Service medical lead, Dr Ram Vaidhyanth, added: “The high-resolution mode combined with small field of view is ideal for temporal bone imaging. Metal artefact reduction algorithm is very useful in both dental and sinus imaging.”
Study evening
University Hospitals of Leicester will be holding a free study evening on Wednesday 10th April from 4 to 7PM. Topics include advances in Cone Beam CT, improvements in image quality and diagnosis, and tips for writing the business case for procurement of a Cone Beam CT. To book a place, email: colin.ross@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Photo (left to right) Mike Sinkala (reporting radiographer), Denise Gill (superintendant radiographer), Colin Ross (site manager LRI), Dr Ram Vaidhyanath (consultant radiologists), Francesca Evans (chief technologist, Althea) and Tony Hulbert (Hulbert Dental ICT)
