(Bethesda , Maryland , August 26, 2005 ) -- Suburban Hospital is one of the first facilities in the DC metro area to obtain the 64-slice GE LightSpeed Volume CT, a diagnostic tool that signals the beginning of a new era in imaging technology. Like all computed tomography (CT) systems, also known as “CAT scans,” Suburban's new CT combines the power of x-ray and computer technology to create three-dimensional visualization of internal anatomy, aiding physicians in viewing abnormalities, diagnosing disease, and assessing the extent of traumatic injury.

Suburban's new technology features unprecedented speed and image quality, allowing clinicians to non-invasively capture a whole organ in one second, scan the entire body in 10 seconds, and produce revolutionary images of the heart and coronary arteries in fewer than five heartbeats!

According to Lara Eisenberg, MD , a radiologist with the Drs. Groover, Christie & Merritt (GCM) radiology practice and chair of Suburban's Department of Radiology, “this new technology will markedly improve every traditional imaging study that we do, while at the same time opening the door to new and advanced diagnostic procedure possibilities.”

Perhaps the fastest growing application in CT is cardiac imaging. Though CT coronary angiography has been available since the late 1990s, the clinical practicality of scanning an organ in motion has remained a significant challenge. Now that the new technology can deliver a comprehensive view of the heart and surrounding vessels with heightened resolution within five seconds, CT coronary angiography shows great promise in being able to non-invasively diagnose clinically significant coronary disease. In addition, CT will likely be used in partnership with the NIH cardiac MRI research program to help determine the effectiveness of different imaging modalities for diagnosing life-threatening clinical conditions in chest pain patients who arrive in the Emergency Department.

“I consider myself extremely fortunate to be at Suburban Hospital ,” says Dr. Eisenberg. “When it comes to diagnostic tools, Suburban is one of the most forward thinking, technologically advanced facilities in the DC area and beyond. Patients are incredibly lucky to have access to this level of care.”

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