N.S. Health hopes 3D imaging scanners help reduce waitlists

A new high-tech 3D imaging scanner will soon be used for nuclear medicine care in a Halifax hospital complexand Nova Scotia Health hopes it will reduce wait times and waitlists.

The QEII Health Sciences Centre is the first hospital in Canada to acquire a StarGuidescanner, which will replace outdated technologyand be used to diagnose and treat some diseases, the health authoritysaid in a release.

The scanner has better image quality and resolution that can help to capture additional information in one scan, the releasesaid.For instance, it can help identify the size, shape and position of internallesions.

"We've had nuclear medicine scanners for a long time but this one is really a quantum leap forward," said Dr. Steven Burrell, the section head of nuclear medicine at the hospital. "This scanner is much more accurate and will give us better images."

He said the scanswill give doctorseven more information on which to base a diagnosis and formulate a patient'streatment plan.

Since the scanneralso takes less time, the hope is itwill reduce the need for patients to returnmultiple times over days or weeks for more scans or tests.

While one machine is already set up and ready to go into service at the Halifax Infirmary site, another one is being purchased for the Victoria General site for early 2025.

Approximately 4,000 patients undergo nuclear medicine scans at the Halifax hospital annually. That number is expected to rise significantly when both of the new machines are up and running.

The cost of the two machines is $6 millionwith the Nova Scotia government kicking in half and the QEII Foundation funding the rest.

"This is a very exciting day for us and I love that our donor community steps up to bring best-in-class technology to help with imaging," said Susan Mullin, president and CEO of the hospital foundation.

"Particularly for cancer care and heart disease, we know this technology will make a huge difference for both patients and doctors."