Fort Smith’s Cooper Clinic Gets Imaging Technology
by January 12, 2009 12:00 am 105 views
Cooper Clinic, based in Fort Smith, recently acquired a $1.2 million imaging system integrating Positron Emission Tomography with high definition Computed Technology, or PET/CT. The system produces images that provide anatomic and metabolic information combined in one exam.
The technology creates images of body tissue with high metabolic activity, which are typically cancer cells.
CT scans show anatomical structures within the body, while the PET/CT scan allows viewing of metabolic activity and pinpoints where abnormal lesions are located, helping doctors determine the location and extent of the disease
According to Dr. Rebecca Fleck, Cooper Clinic’s chief medial officer, the technology allows doctors to see disease and determine appropriate treatment.
The system could reduce the need for invasive procedures and reduce examination time by eliminating the need for separate scans on one or more days.
The PET/CT is the only permanently installed system in the area and is located a the Cooper Clinic’s radiology department at its main facility on Rogers Avenue in Forth Smith.