A new CT scanner has been installed and is now operational at the Brandon Regional Health Centre, bolstering diagnostic services for patients by providing faster scans with sharper images and lower exposure to radiation than the machine it replaced.
Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen says government is committed to improving health care for all Manitobans, “The new CT scanner enhances the diagnostic services in Brandon by substantial advanced technology and allows more patients to receive service.”
The new CT scanner, which cost about $2 million to purchase and install, began operation July 29, and replaced aging equipment that was nearing the end of its expected lifespan. The new scanner is expected to increase the number of scans able to be performed at the Brandon Regional Health Centre once staff are fully trained on the new equipment, which offers faster scans with sharper images.
A CT scanner uses X-rays to make detailed pictures of structures inside the body. It can be used to study many parts of the body including organs, blood vessels, bones and the spinal cord. In 2019-20, the Brandon Regional Health Centre performed 13,745 scans.
Manitoba has made significant investments in health care for the Brandon and Westman region in recent years including an extensive $15.8-million renovation and redevelopment of the Brandon Regional Health Centre, the hiring of 10 new full-time rural paramedic positions for the Prairie Mountain Health region last winter and expanded dialysis services in the region.
Manitoba’s Clinical and Preventive Services Plan, released last November, positions the Brandon Regional Health Centre as an intermediate hub in the province’s transformed health system, with recommendations to enhance its capacity to provide higher acuity and specialty services in the future.
Since 2016, the Manitoba government has invested significantly to improve diagnostic services. This includes the launch earlier this year of echocardiography services at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre, the installation of a linear accelerator for radiation treatment at CancerCare Manitoba and general duty X-ray machines at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach and the Altona Community Memorial Health Centre.
