WellSpan York Hospital is now home to one of the most sophisticated twin-MRI systems in south central Pennsylvania, as well as an innovative new PET/CT system that will offer more detailed imaging along with faster exam times for improved patient experience.
“We have a highly skilled team that is dedicated to providing expert care to our patients,” said Victoria Diamond, president of WellSpan York Hospital. “These new units are some of the most advanced imaging tools in the world and will help our physicians and clinicians continue to provide the highest quality care in an environment that can put our patients at ease.”
The new $14 million MRI suite at WellSpan York Hospital includes a Philips Ingenia Elition 3.0T MRI unit. The unit utilizes programs that use artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly process and help interpret data and position patients. It has the highest available field strength of any MRI in standard clinical practice, producing higher resolution images and better detail than most others. A larger, more open scanning tunnel reduces the risk of claustrophobia, and patients spend less time in the scanning process, with speeds that are 30 to 40 percent faster than average.
“This unit uses cutting edge programs, that includes AI technology, to allow us to perform scans that are not only faster, but also produce clearer images, allowing us to see things the naked eye may not,” said Edward Steiner, M.D., chair of WellSpan Imaging and Radiation Oncology. “This is a real benefit to the patients, because it allows us to not only make a better diagnosis, but to do so in a fraction of the time.”
WellSpan York Hospital is the second WellSpan Health location to receive the Philips Ingenia Elition 3.0T, with WellSpan Health and Surgery Center in Hanover being the first location in Pennsylvania to begin utilizing the technology last year.
The Philips Ingenia Ambition 1.5T X MRI is the first self-contained, environmentally friendly unit in the world, allowing patients to experience a more productive, helium-free operation. Its magnet is one of the safest in the world.
The new suite also features two patient bays providing full anesthesia recovery, making it a fully functional postoperative suite for hospital patients requiring advanced procedures.
WellSpan York Hospital also recently installed a new Siemens Biograph Horizon PET/CT (Positron emission tomography / computed tomography) system, replacing older SPECT (single, photon emission computed tomography) technology. The scanning device can be used in treatment of cancers, metabolism issues and heart functions.
“Using artificial intelligence, the Siemens Biograph Horizon system will not only deliver more precise results, but at much faster speeds,” said Elyce Wolfgang, Director of Imaging at WellSpan York Hospital. “On behalf of Imaging Services at WellSpan York Hospital, we are excited to offer the newest technology in MRI and Cardiac PET/CT imaging to our patients. The advanced technology coupled with our highly skilled team of technologists, nurses, radiologists, and cardiologists, creates a calm and reassuring environment for our patients to receive their care.”
What was an average four hour exam on SPECT equipment can now be accomplished in less than 30 minutes with the Siemens Biograph Horizon PET/CT system. Image quality is also superior, and it allows for additional analysis of coronary flow, which was not possible with SPECT.
The expansion of the imaging department at WellSpan York Hospital also includes a new North Entrance to the hospital, with construction wrapping up earlier this year.
For more information on the extensive imaging services available at WellSpan Health, visit WellSpan.org/Imaging.