Logan Hospital’s new Medical Imaging Department has been operational for just over six months and has already recorded remarkable success and outcomes thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment upgrades.
Our littlest patients are the biggest beneficiaries of the upgraded services, with no other hospital in Queensland able to offer such a paediatric-tailored service. Adults are also benefiting from the fully immersive imaging experience, with a large reduction of rescans noted.
Team leader and Senior MRI Radiographer Des Hardman said the department had gone from having to abort one scan per day down to only about one per week.
He said a patient's first scan often determined how likely they would be to reattend in the future, meaning it was crucial to make it a positive experience.
Channel 10 visited the hospital recently to showcase the 'ambient experience', with Eleni Griffin (daughter of Logan MRI Radiographer Bec Griffin) playing the part of a patient.
Eleni described how she was kept calm and comfortable and said a highlight was being able to watch the TV through a special mirror that she wore during the procedure.
Des said the new audio and visual elements of the MRI were only part of the new experience with paediatric coaching tools making up the other component.
"We have an app and the 'kitten scanner', a smaller version of the CAT scanner, to educate children and their carers about MRI before the real thing, and to make the scanning process less daunting and more comfortable for young patients," he said.
"The child can choose between tech toys Ollie, Chris or Doris to send into the scanner, activating a video that explains what to expect before going into the real MRI machine.
"This innovative approach has led to more efficient scanning processes, resulting in reduced sedation requirements and fewer rescans, making it a significant advancement in medical imaging technology."
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