The new computed tomography (CT) scanner from GE Medical Systems is the world's first scanner to allow doctors to simultaneously capture multiple images of a patient's anatomy and is up to six times faster than traditional CT scanners. "In many cases Emergency Room physicians rely on images from CT scanners to assess the extent of internal injury during the 'Golden Hour' - the first and most critical hour for trauma patients in the ER," said Dr. Bartal. "Reducing the scan time by a few minutes or more can allow ER physicians to begin treating the patient more quickly."

In addition to trauma cases, the new CT scanner, called LightSpeedTM, has the potential to significantly reduce diagnostic time and increase image clarity for the diagnosis of cancer, spinal injuries, and pediatric conditions. Life-threatening blood clots and cardiac conditions also have the potential of being detected faster and more reliably with the new LightSpeed scanner.

"Using LightSpeed a CT scan of the body that used to take three minutes can now be completed in 20 seconds," said Dr. Bartal. "In other situations where patients typically have had to hold their breath or maintain uncomfortable positions for long periods of time, this scanner will make those exams more comfortable while producing images that are more detailed."

According to leading medical institutions such as Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center, diagnostic imaging methods are becoming the best noninvasive means of seeing inside the body. The faster image speeds could allow doctors to develop a host of new applications and potentially replace invasive procedures such as angioplasty, with noninvasive imaging.

Originally developed in the 1970s, CT or "CAT" scans combine the power of x-ray technology and computers, allowing physicians to view wafer-thin cross sections of internal anatomy without the need for surgery. An estimated 50 million CT exams are performed annually around the world, including 28 million in the U.S. alone.