Al Ain Hospital uses advanced scanner to detect COVID-19 pneumonia
New equipment already used on 3,000 patients to quickly determine care
Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s first computerized tomograpgy (CT) scan for diagnosing pneumonia caused by the coronavirus has been launched by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).
Seha, Abu Dhabi emirate’s public health provider, has installed the specialised CT scanner at Al Ain Hospital, and a statement sent on Monday said 3,000 patients have already undergone scans on the new equipment.
According to Seha, the 16-slice mobile CT scanner helps to quick;ly and safely evaluate whether COVID-19 patients are susceptible to pneumonia, a common side effect of the viral infection.
Compared to other CT scanning equipment, the new technology allows for better-quality imaging and a larger area to be tested during a single scan. In this way, images of patients’ lungs are captured at a higher level of accuracy.
“The new CT scanner enables us to tailor our treatment plans within very short timelines. We can evaluate eight patients per hour on average, with no human to human contact, thus minimising secondary infection rates without disrupting care delivery or quality,” explained Dr. Jamal Al-Din Al-Qutaish, head of radiology and intervention at Al Ain Hospital.