LIHU‘E — Wilcox Medical Center announced on Wednesday the addition of a new, state-of-the-art CT scanner that will provide quick and comprehensive imaging scans to more patients, including children.
“The same disease or condition doesn’t always appear the same way in every person,” said Dr. Christopher Orlang, the Wilcox chief of radiology. “This new CT scanner with advanced technology will help us give a more personalized medical experience to our patients and should reduce the need for multiple tests to get the answers we’re looking for.”
The new technology Orlang referred to allows the Wilcox medical team to collect far more imaging data from one scan to detect, diagnose and monitor both common and chronic diseases, disorders and conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and bone fractures.
The new X-ray equipment, with its enhanced accuracy capabilities, will help to reduce the need for additional testing resulting in a lower radiation dose and more comfortable experience for patients. The new machine also can accommodate a wide range of patients, including pediatric and bariatric patients.
Orlang said that CT scanning is one of the fastest imaging techniques available, making it ideal for emergency situations. The new CT scanner at Wilcox can complete most scans in a few minutes — in some cases, less than a minute — and provide detailed results.
Wilcox performs an average of 11,000 imaging scans a year. The new CT scanner will help physicians, nurses and staff expand services and treat patients more efficiently at the only Level II Trauma Center on the island.
“All of us at Wilcox are dedicated to offering the highest quality health care to everyone on Kaua‘i, and this new CT scanner advances our efforts to best serve our community,” said Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of Wilcox Medical Center and CEO of Kaua‘i Medical Clinic.
Wilcox was able to upgrade its CT system through generous donations, including Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan and The William, Jeff, and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation that collectively contributed $2.8 million to improve CT technology at the medical center.
For more information on the Wilcox imaging services, visit www.WilcoxHealth.org, or call 808-245-1030.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
