Wellington, Texas (March 18, 2020) – Installation of a new GE Optima 520 16-slice Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner at Collingsworth General Hospital has been completed, and the first patient scanned on March 18th.  The new CT scanner replaces an aging unit, providing reliability and newer technologies for imaging on patients.

“Hospital staff is excited to offer this updated technology to area residents,” reported Sabrina Byers, radiology department manager.  “This new scanner is a great benefit for our patients, allowing us to see higher quality 3D images of the body.” she continued.

CT scans are diagnostic medical test that produces multiple images of the inside of the human body, much like a traditional x-ray, but much more detailed. The scans are one of the fastest and most accurate tools to examine the abdomen, chest, and pelvis. Most commonly used for trauma patients, abdominal pain, chest pain, pulmonary embolisms, and detection of vascular disease that may lead to stroke, kidney failure, or death.

Preferred, the operator of Collingsworth General, purchased the new CT scanner for $223,000.  The equipment will provide medical staff more detailed diagnostic information providing a higher level of care to patients.  The installation of the scanner took about a week, and the staff was thoroughly trained on the new technology over 4 days.