Children's Welcomes Portable CT

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston recently added a portable CT scanner to further improve care for critically ill patients. The scanner is called a CereTom and it was developed by NeuroLogica. The purchase of the portable CT scanner was made possible through donor funds. Children's staff members are able to take the portable CT to ICUs to care for critically ill patients that might otherwise not be able to be transported to radiology, such as patients with dangerously high intracranial pressure or patients on ECMO. Children's averages seven portable exams each month.

The scanner is an 8-slice scanner, and produces images of the same quality as a non-mobile unit. A task force of critical care physicians, radiologists, and CT technologists worked together to establish guidelines for determining which cases will most benefit from the use of the portable scanner. An assessment of the acuity of the patient dictates whether the mobile unit is necessary. In most cases, patients are transported to the radiology suite, as the process is more time efficient and also affords the advantages of a 64-slice scan.

Renee Ahmed, RT (R) (CT) CT Team Leader Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Egleston