FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2008

CONTACT:
Cindy Hickey, Public Relations
330-489-1212
cindy.hickey@csauh.com

Mercy Equips 64-Slice CT Scanner With SnapShot Pulse Advanced Technology Reduces Radiation by 70 Percent

Canton, Ohio: Mercy Medical Center recently implemented a state-of-the-art, radiation-reduction tool for its 64-slice LightSpeedÒ Volume Computed Tomography (VCT) imaging system. Called SnapShot Pulse, this new technology decreases the radiation dose to individual patients by as much as 70 percent.

Tasneem Khimji, M.D., a Mercy radiologist who specializes in cardiac CTs, believes SnapShot Pulse will make the hospital's VCT even safer for cardiac screenings without compromising image quality.

She said, "SnapShot Pulse addresses the concerns about the amount of radiation needed to obtain images of the full cardiac cycle. This upgrade will, in particular, minimize the risk to women (specifically, radiation to their breasts) and younger patients."

SnapShot Pulse synchronizes with a patient's heart rate, turning X-rays on only during the required heart phase and turning them off completely at all other times. This advanced technique – which captures a complete picture of the heart using a series of three to four "snap shots" – precisely corresponds with the cardiac cycle, reducing the radiation dose by up to 70 percent compared to other CT scanners.

Ahmed A. El Ghamry Sabe, M.D., medical director of Mercy Cardiovascular Center, is pleased with the addition of the SnapShot Pulse. "It is very important that we consider the health of the whole person when we order tests or administer treatment of any kind," he said. "This upgrade to Mercy's 64-slice CT scanner means our heart center can more strongly advocate cardiac CT exams for more of our patients."

VCT Is Two Times Faster Than Conventional CT
The 64-slice VCT performs more than twice as fast as conventional multi-slice CT scanners, capturing images of the heart in five heartbeats, an organ in one second and the complete body in 10 seconds. Not only does the VCT elevate the level of care Mercy provides, it also shortens breath holds for older and pediatric patients, as well as patients on ventilators.

To learn more about SnapShot Pulse or VCT, contact Judy Hadam, administrative director of radiology at Mercy, at (330) 489-1067.

About Mercy Medical Center
Mercy Medical Center, along with the Sisters of Charity Health System and University Hospitals Health System, operates a 476-bed hospital serving Stark, Carroll, Wayne, Holmes and Tuscarawas Counties and parts of Southeastern Ohio. It has 550 physicians on its Medical Staff and employs 2,500 people. Mercy operates outpatient health centers in Carrollton, Jackson Township, Lake Township, Louisville and North Canton. A Catholic hospital, Mercy Medical Center upholds the mission and philosophy of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and continues to be responsive to the needs of the community, including the provision of care to all, regardless of their ability to pay. For more information, see www.cantonmercy.com.