News Release Great Plains Health
NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-To meet the needs of the community for years to come, Great Plains Health is thrilled to premiere one of the most cutting-edge Computed Tomography (CT) systems on the market.
The SOMATOM X.Cite from Siemens Healthineers was approved by the Food and Drug Administration at the end of 2019, and now, patients from North Platte and the surrounding community can be among the first in the country to experience the difference in image quality and patient comfort. Now available to patients with a physician referral, the SOMATOM X.Cite is only the second system of its kind to be installed throughout the entire nation.
“When we were exploring our options for providing comprehensive CT exams, we also wanted to make sure we didn’t sacrifice anything related to the patient experience,” said Mel McNea, Great Plains Health CEO. “With this system, we get the best of both worlds. There are technologies onboard this CT system that wouldn’t have been available just a couple years ago, which creates so many benefits for our patients and reliable results for their providers. It’s truly aligned with our objective of encouraging innovation to improve patient care.”
The SOMATOM X.Cite boasts high power and resolution, consistent results from patient to patient and exam to exam, and a number of patented applications and designs that have never before been possible in a single system. A large, 82-centimeter aperture, known as a bore, creates a more open, welcoming test environment for patients of all ages, while tablet operation and companion technology for background tasks means the Great Plains Health team member overseeing the procedure can focus more of their time interacting with the patient.
Great Plains Health worked closely with an Omaha-based company, Cassling, to ensure the CT was the right fit for the needs of patients in North Platte and beyond.
“This installation shows that Great Plains Health remains committed to providing state-of-the-art healthcare to West Central Nebraska,” said Dr. Ladd Lake, radiologist. “With the addition of the Siemens SOMATOM X.Cite scanner, we will be able to provide significant advances in vascular imaging, cardiac imaging and surgical procedures requiring CT guidance. Additionally, this new scanner will allow us to accomplish these goals while providing an increased level of patient comfort.”
In addition to state-of-the-art CT services, Great Plains Health offers a wide array of imaging exams, including MRI, ultrasound, 3D mammography, X-ray, nuclear medicine and more. Patients are encouraged to ask their physicians for a referral to Great Plains Health.