The long-awaited SPECT-CR (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomograph-Computed Tomography) Nuclear Medicine Suite is coming to the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital.
“The new technology improves diagnosis through higher quality and faster imaging – that gives our professionals more precise information and that, in turn, advances the care we can provide right here,” says Cheryl Harrison, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). “Our entire hospital team is so proud of our community donors for making this happen and especially The Sprott Foundation for their leadership gift.”
Foundation officials say the SPECT-CT camera will improve precision and support the other diagnostic technology at the hospital. The CT capability will give the hospital backup to help with imaging for urgent stroke cases when the CT scanner is down.
The $2.6 million addition will, according to foundation officials, improve diagnostic care for patients and families from Parry Sound to Gravenhurst as early as this summer.
It’s noted by the officials that close to 2,000 nuclear medicine tests are done in Huntsville every year.
“Helping our hospital update diagnostics and imaging capacity and quality has been the key outcome of our Focus On Imaging fundraising effort to date,” says Katherine Craine, CEO of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. “Much of that effort has been behind the scenes, but today we’re making it public as part of the Nuclear Medicine Suite announcement. I’m pleased to report that efforts to date have generated over $7,400,000 in donations or almost 75 percent of the campaign goal of $10,000,000. Now we need the entire community to get involved and help finish the job. I know we can do it.”
The purchase and installation of the machine were made possible through the foundation’s Focus on Imaging campaign. The aim of the program is to replace or update some of the aging equipment at the hospital. It was launched in Aug. 2021 and is expected to end early next year with all targets met.