Machias – Down East Community Hospital is happy to announce that we have installed a new GE state-of-the-art Revolution Ascend CT scanner.
This project started in December of 2024 by researching different brands of scanners that would best fit our Imaging Department’s needs, and which brand would provide the high quality of imaging we have grown to expect for our patients. Imaging fully researched different CT scanners then visited a GE facility in Milwaukee in January to see what they had to offer.
We were looking for some key improvements to what we currently had in a scanner and ultimately GE won without question as they recently had some significant changes to their platform, image quality, decrease dose to the patient, size of the bore, and increase table length.
Some key features we would like to share:
We are the first in the State of Maine to implement the True Enhance DL software. This software is exciting for us as it provides improved visual contrast in all IV contrast administered studies, increasing clear visualization of contrast enhancement in vessels and masses without increasing the dose of IV contrast.
We went from a 70cm bore, to a 75cm bore, allowing for more room as patients go in and out of the scanner.
Our allowable table weight has increased from 350lbs- 680lbs. For us, the biggest reason we chose the bariatric table is to help assist optimal imaging for those patients who fell close to the 350-weight range. This increased weight limit should scan those patients with ease and with improved quality imaging.
We have increased the scannable range with our new scanner, allowing for ease of scanning Run off exams, and tall patients.
We have added a positioning camera which will auto prescribe the appropriate dose from the scout perfectly. This will help aid in overall decrease dose to the patient.
We have added MAR to this scanner which stands for Metal Artifact Reduction. If a patient has a metal implant, we apply this software to the image and it reduces the scatter typically created, allowing the Radiologist to visualize around the surgical site.
Our staff from several departments worked hard to make some necessary changes to the CT suite by expanding it to allow for a longer table, additional room to bring a stretcher in with ease, increased room for the technologists to work, and a bigger control room allowing for an improved workflow. We were able to expand the overall room by moving our Ultrasound Room to what used to be the Quiet Room, making a great space for our Ultrasound patients as well.