LIHU‘E — Wilcox Memorial Hospital is planning to become the first medical facility in the state to acquire what is arguably the most-sophisticated scanner capable of creating detailed, 3-D images of a patient’s heart and vascular system. “(The machine) is
LIHU‘E — Wilcox Memorial Hospital is planning to become the first medical facility in the state to acquire what is arguably the most-sophisticated scanner capable of creating detailed, 3-D images of a patient’s heart and vascular system.
“(The machine) is revolutionizing cardiac, stroke, trauma and cancer diagnostics around the world,” Wilcox Health Foundation Director of Philanthropy Jill Lowry said.
“Many say ‘why here on Kaua‘i?’ and I say ‘why not here on Kaua‘i?’ We’re very reliant on what we have here, and we’re doing what we can without having to transport patients to O‘ahu,” said Lowry.
To kick off fundraising for the estimated $3.2 million needed to purchase and install the 256-slice CT scanner, Wilcox Health Foundation will host a Vintage Vegas Gala at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club on Kalapaki Beach Nov. 13 from 5 to 10 p.m.
The CT (computerized axial tomography) scanners are used in diagnostics to provide detailed images of parts of the body that cannot be seen utilizing standard X-ray technology, such as internal organs and blood vessels. The detail level a scanner provides is determined by the number of “slices,” or images, it takes per scan.
The 256-slice scanner is considered by many to be the gold standard of imaging technology. It will replace Wilcox’s 16-slice scanner. The most detailed scanner currently in the state is a 64-slice machine on O‘ahu.
There are only 50 of the 256-slice scanners in the U.S., and 200 worldwide. Estimated prices for CT scanners are $1 million for a 64-slice, $2 million for a 256 and $2.5 million for a 320.
“It’s a dramatic leap for us, and it would benefit any physicians who want to send a patient here,” Lowry said.
As well as high-definition imaging designed to detect even the most-minute fractures in bone, the 256 scanner is also fast, which reduces radiation exposure 50 percent to 80 percent.
“If you’re trying to take a picture of the heart, there is a lot of motion artifact, because the heart is beating,” she said. “This scanner is so fast it can take a crystal-clear picture. If you’re trying to track a stroke, you could see the blood profusion in the brain and blockages in the heart.”
One of the things it can do best, she said, is replace the need for traditional angiograms, which are not offered on island, are considered somewhat evasive and have the potential to cause a stroke.
In their continued effort to fund the purchase of the 256 scanner, the hospital foundation will be hosting galas, writing grants and requesting donations.
“I have a lofty goal that we will be able to purchase it in two years, emphasizing ‘lofty,’” Lowry said. “We literally just started a couple months ago, so we’re only up to a couple of hundred thousand at this point.”
Galas are effective for two reasons, she said: “They raise awareness in the community, and they’re a fun way to reach out to people that we haven’t connected with before.”
For this event, Marriott’s ballroom will be transformed into Vegas during its golden age, there will be a surf-and-turf dinner, a martini bar, “just for fun” gaming and live and silent auctions.
Doctors will be sporting costumes reminiscent of Vegas regulars like Elvis and members of the Rat Pack.
“Among the glitz and glamour, a nine-piece big band, Nueva Vida, will serenade guests, along with special guest Glenn Medeiros, who will be traveling to Kaua‘i for his first performance in many years,” says Morgan Childs of Event Media.
“Expect an evening of feathers, fashion and headdresses sky-high hosted by Howard Dashefsky and Ron Mizutani.”
Tickets are $125, and a table that accommodates 10 may be purchased for $1,250. To reserve tables and tickets call 245-1198. Don’t forget to don your best sequins, sparkles and evening attire, says Childs.
On a side note, it’s strange but true that in addition to its medical applications, 256 CT scanners have been used to examine the remains of mummies.
Last month, the Minnesota Post reported that thanks to the University of Chicago Hospital’s machine, Chicago museum visitors can now see a detailed, 3-D images and reconstructions of mummy Meresamun, a temple singer, whose elaborately decorated casket has remained sealed for 3,000 years.
• Vanessa Van Voorhis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 251) or by e-mailing vvanvoorhis@kauaipubco.com.
