St John of God Subiaco Hospital a leader in neurosurgical technology

6 Apr 2016

6 April 2016

The CT scanner provides surgeons with real-time 3D imaging allowing them to confirm the accurate positioning of implanted devices, providing greater accuracy during neurosurgical and spine procedures.

St John of God Subiaco Head of Neurosurgery Professor Gabriel Lee said the new scanner was a welcome and important addition to the hospital. 

“Intraoperative CT scanning provides important imaging information during surgery, which can improve the safety of surgery, particularly when placing screws in the spine for stabilisation,” he said. 

“It minimises the risk of malpositioned screws and reduces the chances of patients requiring revision surgery.

“The new technique allows a CT scan to be performed while the patient is anaesthetised in the operating room. The acquired CT images can be used in conjunction with advanced computerised navigational systems to facilitate the accurate placement of screws in the spine. This is crucial in the spine, where the screws are typically millimetres from critical nerves and blood vessels.

“By the time the patient leaves the operating room, the surgeon would have confirmed that all the screws are correctly positioned.”

The CT scanner was purchased by the hospital in partnership with SKG Radiology.

The scanner is currently being used by spinal surgeons and neurosurgeons but may expand into other areas.

The device is used with guided surgical systems to provide surgeons with a GPS navigation of the human body.

It is similar to a traditional CT scanner but completely mobile. It can be moved between operating rooms and is easier to position around a patient during surgery.