Mather Hospital Buys $1.8 Million 320-Slice CT Scanner

On Monday, held a ribbon-cutting to unveil its new state-of-the-art Toshiba Aquilion One 320-Slice CT Scanner, that will allow doctors to image internal organs in better quality and quicker than ever before.

With one rotation of the x-ray tube the scanner produces a detailed three-dimensional image of the heart, brain and other internal organs.

“We’re the third hospital on Long Island to have a 320-slice CT scanner,” said Michael G. Burghardt, director of Imaging Services for Mather. “It allows the radiologist, neurologist or anyone else to see the entire brain in one picture. They don’t have to take two pictures and stitch them together.”

Burghardt also said that one of the other benefits of this scanner is the possibility of reducing radiation dosage for the patient.

At 320 slices, the scanner is able to provide a much clearer image in less time, allowing doctors to analyze the blood flow in the brain to help determine if there is blockage for stroke victims.

“Three hundred twenty slices to gives a smoother image,” said Anthony Wiley, Mather’s CT Supervisor.

He explained it as thinking of an internal organ as a loaf of bread. At 320 slices, the scanner takes more slices into it to render it as an image.

“It’s less pixilated,” he said.

The total cost for the scanner was $1.8 million with the money coming from various sources. The hospital received a federal legislative appropriations grant that Rep. Timothy Bishop, D-Southampton helped secure in the amount of $445,000, which represents more than 24 percent of the cost of the system. Mather received $260,000 from the principle component of the John T. Mather Memorial Hospital Perpetual Trust and Mather’s Auxiliary donated $231,000 from proceeds of its various fundraising activities. The rest came from the hospital itself.

“We anticipate further growth for our Imaging Services Department and Mather becoming the imaging facility of choice for physicians and patients,” said Mather president Kenneth Roberts in a speech at the ribbon cutting.

Roberts also said that Mather is the first community hospital on Long Island to have a 320-slice CT scanner. 

“On every level this scanner represents innovation,” he said.

More: Also check out our and about the new scanner.