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BWH is now home to one of the world’s first 64-slice PET/VCT scanners, which are transforming the way physicians diagnose and treat heart disease and other life-threatening diseases.
Installed in BWH Nuclear Medicine in May, the Discovery VCT has the capabilities of both a positron emission tomography (PET) and volume computed tomography (VCT) system for cardiac imaging. That means it shows an image that helps physicians diagnose heart conditions and define a treatment strategy—and fast.
The Discovery VCT, made by GE Healthcare, can capture images of the heart and coronary arteries in fewer than five heartbeats. In a single rotation, the system creates 64 credit card-thin images, totaling 40 millimeters of anatomical coverage. These images then combine to create a three-dimensional view of the patient’s anatomy.
“The scanner enables physicians to access essential functional and anatomical patient data, including cardiac perfusion maps at rest and during peak cardiac stress, CT coronary angiography and calcium score, all in one setting,” said Marcelo Di Carli, MD, director of Nuclear Medicine/PET and co-director of Cardiovascular Imaging. “It’s awesome.”
For patients, the PET/VCT scanner means they likely will have one test, rather than two, before physicians settle on a treatment course. For many patients, it eliminates unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures.
For example, the scanner helps physicians determine whether a patient’s chest pain is caused by a blocked coronary artery and whether it’s limiting blood flow to the heart. Also, since it is capable of helping decipher the magnitude of the blockage, the PET/VCT scanner will help physicians plan treatment options such as medication for small blockages or a stent or bypass surgery for a more significant blockage.