The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital has brought in a new and improved CT scanner which is equipped with the latest computer techniques.

Yesterday, the Bermuda Hospitals Board launched a major fund-raising campaign to complete the $1 million replacement of its seven-year-old CT scanner, a vital diagnostic machine that was purchased through public donations.

Chairman of the Hospitals Board Mr. Bob Tucker said: "The upgrade, which is called the CT Hispeed Advantage Computed Tomography System, introduces the latest computer techniques which substantially increase the speed and flexibility of the scanning process.'' He added that this will reduce the radiation exposure time, and will allow more patients to be scanned in the event of a major emergency. It also prevents movement so is suited to scanning small children and accident victims.

Mr. Tucker also said that the Board was so impressed by the significant benefits that the upgrading will bring to the hospital and its patients that they paid the $330,000 down payment on the new equipment earlier this year.

"And as a result it has arrived on the Island and is in the process of being installed.'' He added that the sum of $110,000 has also been raised from generous donations from corporate friends of the hospital.

"Today the hospital is asking the public to help it raise the outstanding $560,000,'' Mr. Tucker said.

He also said that the original CT scanner, which provides detailed high resolution cross-sectional imaging of the body, has assisted in the diagnostic treatment of 15,000 patients since it was installed in February 1987.

It is currently averaging 239 scans a month and has become indispensable to the hospital's trauma and emergency care.

Head of emergency Dr. Edward Schultz said: "I feel very strongly that the CT upgrade is a far better expenditure of health care money for trauma care in this community than it would be to buy a Magnetic Resonance Imager (MRI).

"In order to do an MRI scan you have to put a person in a torpedo tube for 45 minutes making them inaccessible. And you can't put an unstable person in the scanner.'' Dr. Schultz added: "The CT Scanner is a better, faster scanner with a greater resolution and it will allow us to scan head injuries, spinal injuries and abdomen injuries with better detail.'' Chief diagnostic imaging technologist Mrs. Janet Thomas-Gauntlett said: "I am pleased at the Board's commitment to quality patient care by providing equipment that is today's technology.'' Senior CT Technologist Mrs. Vanetta Symonds said: "I am excited that we are getting new technology that is comparable if not better than CT technology available in the US and Canada.

"We are getting the most advanced, top-of-the-line scanner.'' Mrs. Symonds added that the CT scanner was more accurate and provides high quality images.

"It has the ability to scan spirally and acquire a volume of information that can be used to generate images in different planes. Data can also be manipulated to create three-dimensional images even after the patient has left the room,'' Mrs. Symonds said.

SCANNING FOR A NEW AGE -- Taking a look at the new CT scanner are, from left: senior CT technologist Mrs. Vanetta Symonds, executive director of the Bermuda Hospitals Board Mrs. Sheila Manderson, and chief diagnostic imaging technologist Mrs. Janet Thomas-Gauntlett.