Stanford University has begun construction of a 5,300-square-foot MRI/CT suite at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. The $7.5 million imaging suite, which will be available just for kids, is set to open this summer.
The suite will include a sedation and anesthesia area designed in conjunction with the hospital’s division of pediatric anesthesia. Because the number of children needing MRI studies has doubled in the past few years, the suite will offer improved access to advanced MRI and CT imaging techniques in an environment dedicated to the care of children, said Dr. Richard Barth, director of pediatric radiology at Packard Children’s Hospital.
Stanford will also conduct research focused on childhood diseases, in a collaboration between clinical and research faculty. The university is planning to build a database tracking the normal development of the pediatric central nervous system, using advanced techniques that allow for the visualization of intricate brain and spinal cord structures. These techniques will also allow for brain and spinal cord physiology, chemistry, and metabolism to be observed as they function, according to Packard pediatric neuroradiologist Dr. Pat Barnes.
The data will enable Stanford to develop standards of normal development and provide the controls needed to evaluate children with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, birth defects, cancer, and neuro-behavioral disorders, Barnes said.
Barnes is currently creating a task force comprised of clinicians and scientists from all of the neurosciences departments at the medical school and university to guide the development of clinical services, research, and professional education in pediatric neurological imaging.
Packard’s radiology department is also building a base of advanced digital technology for storage and distribution of images throughout the hospital, according to Stanford. In addition, CT and MRI images can be transferred to the department’s dedicated 3-D imaging lab for advanced processing and conversion into 3-D images, which enhances diagnosis, according to the university.
Packard’s radiology department recently converted x-ray imaging to computed radiography, with the CR digital images integrated into a PACS network. In the next PACS implementation phase, clinical departments will be fully integrated, with Web-based access for clinical and research purposes throughout the university following soon after. Access to outside users over the Internet will be offered after patient privacy is addressed, according to Barth.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersFebruary 9, 2001
Copyright © 2001 AuntMinnie.com
