LANGHORNE, Pa., June 15, 2010 – St. Mary Medical Center has announced the acquisition of a new nuclear medicine camera, benefitting physicians, clinicians and patients with faster scan times, higher quality images, and greater accessibility to studies.

The Phillips BrightView SPECT system is designed to meet a growing diversity in patient size, while completing scans within six minutes. Because patients enter the system feet first, the camera design helps to alleviate claustrophobia. In addition, physicians will have access to imaging studies on or off the St. Mary campus, allowing them to make clinical determinations from remote locations.

“This new camera expands our ability to diagnose and treat complex cases,” says Rajnikant Shah, MD, Director of Nuclear Cardiology. “With the latest advances in imaging technology, we can accommodate patient comfort and safety, while at the same time offering higher quality imaging capabilities to enhance diagnosis and treatment. The system is more compact, faster, and easier to use. We are very excited to have this new capability.”

A nuclear camera is used in a diagnostic imaging study that uses a radioactive tracer to produce images of the heart muscle. When combined with stress either through exercise or injection of a drug, the nuclear scan helps determine if the heart muscle is getting the blood supply it needs. This imaging test allows the doctor to compare the amount of blood flowing through the heart muscle during stress and at rest.

The variable angle system of the new camera, featuring Philips CloseUp technologies, produces a higher resolution image through smarter software, advanced electronics, and a shorter distance between the detector and patient. The system is faster, easier to use, and can self-adjust to obtain better quality images.

About St. Mary Medical Center
Licensed for 366 beds, St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, is the most comprehensive medical center in the area.  Its compassionate staff of more than 600 physicians, 2,700 colleagues, and 1,000 volunteers is committed to providing excellence in patient safety and quality care. St. Mary offers state-of-the-art technology and highly skilled physicians and clinical professionals in providing advanced care for complex cases. Services include a comprehensive cardiovascular program; the only state-accredited Trauma Center in Bucks County; Emergency Services with a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Care Center; a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center; specialized diagnostic imaging; obstetrics and NICU; a Joint Commission-certified joint replacement program; exceptional orthopedic surgical capabilities and rehabilitation; a Joint Commission-certified sleep disorders center, pain management and wound healing centers; the St. Mary Breast Center; and the St. Mary Regional Cancer Center. St. Mary’s outreach to the poor and underserved includes its Community Ministries in Bensalem – the Mother Bachmann Maternity Center, Children’s Health Center and Family Resource Center – as well as ongoing support for the Adult Health Clinic operated by the Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership.

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