In an Australian first, The Alfred Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is now home to a mobile computed tomography (CT) scanner. With no other ICU in the country using mobile CT, the installation of the machine in 2022 was the culmination of a six-year project to revolutionise the way ICU patients, especially those who need head CT scans, are cared for. Costing just more than $1 million to purchase and install, the project could never have been achieved without the $850,000 generously contributed by the community.
Admitting on average 3000 patients a year, The Alfred ICU often treats the most complex and unwell patients from around Victoria.
About 40 per cent of those patients require a CT scan, of which about half specifically require a head CT scan.
Previously, a time intensive and complex process was required where patients had to be moved from ICU and often disconnected from life-sustaining equipment in order to receive a CT scan.
A potential one-hour process has now been reduced to just 15 minutes.
Kristian Kempen, The Alfred's Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Business Manager, said being able to move the machine directly to a patient’s bedside meant they did not have to leave the ICU for a scan.
"This provides clinicians with faster access to critical information, allowing quicker lifesaving diagnosis, treatment and enhanced patient safety, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for our most critically ill patients," he said.
"Patient safety is the big factor here. Remaining in ICU spares the patient a potentially hazardous journey to a fixed scanner.
"Every minute counts in the ICU and, with this scanner, our clinicians can bring lifesaving diagnosis equipment to the patient, saving time so clinicians have quicker access to critical information.
"Not only will this lead to earlier lifesaving treatment, but more lives saved.
"Importantly, the mobile scanner will also enhance patient safety, keeping specialists close to the patients who need them most, at all times."
Many issues needed to be overcome for the scanner to finally be installed at The Alfred, including safety requirements, storage location and maintaining a constant and consistent vision throughout the process.
The most significant challenge however, was the one surrounding radiation safety.
"Being the first mobile CT scanner in an ICU in Australia … there were also radiation safety challenges especially considering where there are lots of staff, patients and visitors circulating," Mr Kempen said.
"We had to work closely with the radiation regulators not only to ensure patient and staff safety, but also to help create guidelines for those that come after us in the use of this technology."
With the first bedside patient scan happening in November 2022, the ICU and Radiology teams, including the Medical Physics team, are excited about the extent to which the mobile scanner will impact future processes and the benefit to patients which will result from this.
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