Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s Hospital (GSL) soon will begin scanning patients for suspected heart problems using its new GE Revolution Apex 8 Cardiac CT scanner \u2013 the medical industry\u2019s most advanced generation of computed tomography scanner.<\/p>\n
CT scanners, or \u201ccat scanners,\u201d use x-rays and computers to produce cross-sectional images of the body.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe GE HealthCare Revolution Apex 8 Cardiac CT scanner\u2019s ability to capture the clearest images of the heart at rest is unparalleled in our area and nothing short of remarkable,\u201d said Gabe Kamarousky, president of GSL, who began his healthcare career as a CT technician.<\/p>\n
The new $1.8 million scanner was introduced to doctors and staff of GSL at a ribbon-cutting at the hospital on Sept. 24.<\/p>\n
The Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s joint venture, inspired by its mission, \u201cadvancing care together,\u201d continues to deliver on its vow to bring the most innovative technology and compassionate care to Schuylkill County and the surrounding community, added Kamarousky. The organization will celebrate its fifth-year anniversary of caring for the Orwigsburg community in November.<\/p>\n
The GE HealthCare Revolution Apex 8 Cardiac CT\u2019s image acquisition speed and clarity provide the highest quality and convenience, especially for\u00a0imaging the heart in patients who have\u00a0been experiencing chest pain without a known cause.<\/p>\n
In a fraction of the time it takes other CTs to produce a scan of the heart, the GE Apex 8\u00a0will help Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s cardiologists\u00a0to rule out the dangerously clogged-coronary arteries that can cause heart attacks, enabling patients to receive medical treatment at GSL, their home-town hospital.<\/p>\n
If patients are diagnosed with a heart attack or other serious conditions requiring interventional\u00a0 treatment such as cardiac catheterization\/stenting or bypass surgery, they can be transferred to St. Luke\u2019s or Geisinger to receive care from their award-winning heart teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs our area population ages and requires more specialized medical services, the need for diagnostic cardiac imaging studies rises, too,\u201d said Geisinger cardiologist Charles Peters, MD. \u201cThe Revolution Apex 8 Cardiac CT Scanner is the AI-enhanced technology we\u2019ve been searching for, which will help us provide non-interventional studies right here at the hospital for the comfort and convenience of our patients.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Luke\u2019s Director of Computed Tomography David Furman, MD, calls the Revolution Apex 8 Cardiac CT scanner\u00a0\u201cthe biggest upgrade in CT technology that I have experienced in my\u00a0career.\u00a0 The speed of the scanner\u00a0enables us to acquire crisp images of the cardiac structures in the very brief moment when the heart is at rest in-between beats. This will quickly become the\u00a0first test cardiologists turn to, helping\u00a0many patients avoid the need for more invasive cardiac catheterization.”<\/p>\n
Dr. Furman added that the scanner also can evaluate\u00a0how much atherosclerotic plaque is present in the arteries of the heart and provide precise measurements of the heart\u2019s anatomy prior to valve repair or replacement and other advanced treatments.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy having this advanced cardiac CT machine at the GSL Orwigsburg hospital, our patients in the community will really benefit from not just having a state-of-the-art cardiac diagnostic tool but also the option to predict future cardiovascular events risk and thereby initiating early preventive strategies,\u201d said GSL cardiologist Waqas Ahmed, MD.\u00a0 \u201cBoth of these services were not available previously in the area and patients had to travel long distances to get these tests.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Robert Fournier, MD, chair of Radiology for St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network, \u201cThis revolutionary technology is clear evidence that Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s continues to remain at the forefront of medical innovation with our longtime partners at GE HealthCare. Not only does it support us in providing top-notch patient care, but it also plays critical roles in our education and research endeavors.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to obtaining images of the heart, the scanner will be used at GSL to diagnose strokes, traumatic injuries and complex neurologic conditions.<\/p>\n
About Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s Hospital<\/strong><\/p>\n Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s (GSL) Hospital opened in 2019, bringing high-quality, accessible health care to Schuylkill County. A partnership of Danville, Pa.-based\u00a0Geisinger<\/a>\u00a0and Bethlehem, Pa.-based\u00a0St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network<\/a>. GSL marked the first time in recent Pennsylvania history that two health care organizations joined together to co-own and co-build a hospital. This three-story, 60-bed acute care hospital with all private rooms, comprises an emergency department with trauma bays, operating rooms, an intensive care unit, a procedure room as well as ancillary services such as 3-D mammography, MRI, cat scan, ultrasound, echocardiology, interventional radiology, vascular imaging, nuclear medicine and X-ray. Specialty services offered include ear-nose-and-throat, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, gynecologic oncology, general surgery, nephrology, orthopedic surgery, primary care, radiology, spine and pain services, and urology services. Since opening, GSL has earned a Leapfrog Safety Rating of A, the Leapfrog Top 50 Safest Hospital award and the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence award, and has been accredited as a Primary Stroke Center, Trauma Center and Chest Pain Center. In 2024, GSL was recognized by the federal government as a five-star (the highest rating) facility for safety and quality.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Information provided to TVL by: Geisinger St. Luke\u2019s Hospital (GSL) soon will begin scanning patients for suspected heart problems using its new GE Revolution Apex 8 Cardiac CT scanner \u2013 the medical industry\u2019s most advanced … Continue reading New State-of-the-Art Cat Scanner at GSL<\/span>
\nSam Kennedy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"