Using chemistry to speed up CT scans

Finding a disease early on can have a great impact on treatment. A doctor must know their patient’s specific disease, as well as how far the disease has progressed, before they can develop a treatment plan. In some cases, diagnostic imaging may be required to identify the cause of symptoms.

Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic imaging examination used to create detailed images of internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels. Some CT scans require the use of contrast media to enhance the image quality. The contrast media may be taken orally or by an intravenous injection (or both).

The injector at work

Bayer has developed an innovative injector for CT scans. It has been developed with the aim of supporting radiology departments in hospitals to do more in less time. With this system in place, the daily set-up process can be completed in under 2 minutes. The simple snap-in patient line auto-primes upon insertion – meaning that the patient line is automatically flushed with saline to drive air out of it when inserted into the injector – and is ready for the next patient in less than 20 seconds.

In addition, the injector supports cordless mobility through battery power and a Wi-Fi connection between the scan room and control room units. As a result, the process of taking a CT scan has improved regarding handling and efficiency. The injector was also designed with safety in mind. Two check valves in the patient line prevent cross-contamination. Inlet and outlet air detection, in addition to automatic air removal within the day set reservoirs, helps prevent air injection.

Combined with other technology

When combined with Automated Documentation software, an integrated barcode reader enters the data into the system automatically. As such, it reduces the need for manual data entry and provides easy traceability and access to important contrast media and injection data. The injection system also provides a touchscreen in the scan room so that staff can be close to the patient.

Associated SDG targets