Breakthrough in cardiac CT at Friendship Hospital

The launching ceremony for GE Healthcare’s state-of-the-art Revolution CT 256 detector rows, the newest in Friendship Hospital’s arsenal

The ceremony took place on July 20, attended by government officials, domestic and international medical experts, GE representatives, leaders, managers, and the staff of Friendship Hospital and other hospitals.

According to export.gov, a trusted source of market intelligence developed by international trade specialists and economists, much of the existing medical equipment in Vietnamese public hospitals is obsolete and needs replacement. Many hospitals lack sufficient equipment for surgery and intensive care units. Thus, the Vietnamese government encourages the import of medical equipment because local production cannot meet the demand.

US-based GE Healthcare has become a familiar brand in the Vietnamese medical industry, as it has provided hospitals and clinics with modern medical equipment and numerous training courses for their medical staff. This is especially helpful in the context reported in a 2016 research study by the Danish Embassy in Vietnam. The report describes the demand for imported medical equipment as a growing one, especially for imaging diagnostic equipment, such as CT scanners.

GE Healthcare is making yet another significant contribution to the Vietnamese medical industry by supplying the new Revolution CT 256 detector rows. It is the newest in CT technology, with many state-of-the-art improvements to the CT 64 detector rows, the technology used in Friendship Hospital at present. The Revolution CT 256 detector rows are a breakthrough in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

The Revolution CT 256 detector rows

“The Revolution CT 256 detector rows use low-radiation doses and offers high reliability and accuracy,” said Prof. Jean Louis Sablayrolles, chief of CT and MRI Department at the Centre Cardiologique du Nord – Saint Denis in France.

With smart dose technologies, this new CT scanner is designed to provide high-quality images using lower doses of radiation. Smart dose technologies ensure a more accurate diagnosis and lower exposure for patients during routine and advanced exams, including dynamic acquisitions for perfusion and 4D studies.

In particular, it reduces the dose by up to 82 per cent for patients of all ages. Also, it helps decrease the amount of radiocontrast agents that patients have to use. Thus, the new technology significantly reduces health risks to patients.

Notably, the Revolution CT 256 detector rows deliver better care for paediatric patients at a lower dose. With the Revolution CT 256 detector rows, paediatric patients experience sedation-free scanning. Whole abdomen and pelvis scans can be accomplished in less than one second. 70kV scanning facilitates low-dose protocols, which are especially suitable for paediatric imaging. Design features, such as soft ambient lighting and a patient-centric bore pattern, create a calming effect. The adventure series, offered as an option, takes patients on an underwater journey or jungle adventure, with themed rooms to help distract them from the procedure.

The Revolution CT 256 detector rows’ 16-centimetre gemstone detector coverage and 0.28-second rotation speed, combined with intelligent motion correction, bring about excellent cardiac imaging at any heart rate. In addition, this technology can be applied to challenging patients, including the obese, heavily-calcified, or those with high heart rates, among others. This technology also helps doctors accurately study the stroke patients’ brains, thus raising their probability of survival.

“This is an innovative system with comprehensive improvements in hardware design, from the 16cm gemstone detector with focally-aligned module design, contactless slip ring, and Whisper Drive system to the 3D collimator, fully designed for optimum image quality with one of the best resolutions possible for patients at any heart rate,” said Le Thi Thu Hang, GE Product sales specialist.

GE entered the Vietnamese market in 1993 by setting up a representative office. Subsequently, it opened another representative office in Ho Chi Minh City in 2001, working in partnership with local organisations. In 2003, GE established GE Vietnam Ltd., a 100 per cent GE-invested firm that offers a wide range of after-sales services for medical, electric, and energy equipment.

Besides the co-operation with Friendship Hospital, GE Healthcare supports the Vietnamese government and healthcare providers in strengthening the healthcare system and training clinicians in the country.

Last month, GE Healthcare, in partnership with the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction under the Ministry of Health and local dealers, conducted a five-day biomedical engineering training course for engineers from 56 hospitals in the southern provinces of Vietnam.

Last year, GE Healthcare teamed up with the Vietnam Society of Anaesthesiologists, Viet Duc Hospital, and VietMedical to open a new VSA Simulation Training Lab for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, aimed at improving anaesthesia education, training, and raising awareness on the importance of safe anaesthesia administration in Vietnam. The simulation training lab was the first-of-its-kind in the country.

Through its commitment to building a healthier community with improved access to quality products, GE Healthcare is providing transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping the new age of patient care in Vietnam. Today, more than half of all domestic clinics and hospitals have at least one GE medical device.

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