The Regional Medical Center is seeking state permission to buy a 64-slice computed tomography scanner.

Hospital officials say the scanner will provide patients with a quicker, more efficient, non-invasive procedure while the technology provides doctors with higher-resolution images.

The new technology is expected to cost $2.3 million over five years. It is expected to bring the hospital net revenue of about $2.1 million a year.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control requires parties to obtain a ce.jpgicate of need if they are interested in constructing a new health facility, expanding or reducing an existing facility or changing the scope of services exceeding $1 million. CON applications provide details about the particular need for a project.

It will take the state about three or four months to decide on the hospital's request for a CON. The new technology may be in place in about seven months.

As part of the project, the hospital will have to outfit a room now used for storage for the new machine.

David Cope, RMC's vice president of strategic planning, said the new machine will help reduce stress on existing machines, help handle increased volume and provide additional diagnostic procedures for cardiology.

The 64-slice computed tomography system will also give physicians clearer pictures -- sort of like using a camera with a faster shutter speed for a better image. The computer can assemble three-dimensional images that can be manipulated to get a better look at any problem.

The new scanner will also be about three to 15 seconds quicker than the 16-slice scanner, depending on the procedure done.

Previous generation 16-slice scanners meant patients had to hold their breath for 20 seconds so doctors could get a clear picture, and the resolution for smaller arteries was not as good. Patients with rapid heartbeats also had to take drugs to slow their hearts.

The scanner would also help reduce the need for some catheterizations to diagnose heart conditions, Trustee Dr. John Hutto.

Catheterization involves inserting a small tube into an artery and then threading it through the body to the heart. A dye is injected into the arteries, and x-rays show any blockages.

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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