Orthopaedic Institute for Children Is the First Facility in Los Angeles to Offer Healthcare Industry’s Most Advanced Weight-Bearing CT Scanner
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#ctscanner–Orthopaedic Institute for Children has greatly enhanced its diagnostic capabilities by installing the healthcare industry’s most advanced weight-bearing CT scanner. This technology, the first to be available in Los Angeles, provides physicians and their patients high-resolution three-dimensional images of bone and tissue structures at a fraction of the radiation dose of conventional medical CT imaging. Not only are the quality of the images better and more helpful in informing surgical intervention, the process is safer for young patients.
The acquisition of the weight-bearing CT was made possible through a generous grant from OIC’s partners at the Ahmanson Foundation. The Ahmanson Foundation has supported OIC for more than 40 years and was instrumental in the 2018 construction of The Ahmanson Foundation Fracture Clinic on OIC’s downtown Los Angeles campus, one of the largest pediatric orthopedic fracture centers in the nation. Additional funding was given by the McGrath Foundation to bring this cutting-edge technology to OIC, its children and their families.
“Weight-bearing CT imaging is emerging as the gold standard for diagnosis of several lower extremity conditions,” said OIC President Anthony Scaduto, M.D. “Such imaging gives physicians the most accurate assessment of the functional bony anatomy of the foot and ankle as deformities of the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot have been shown to be more visible in the standing position. We are thrilled to add this important diagnostic tool to our capabilities.”
Designed and manufactured by Pennsylvania-based CurveBeam, the HiRise third-generation weight-bearing system is a multifunctional solution that can scan the entire lower extremities, including the hip and pelvis, as well as non-weight-bearing images of the upper extremities. With the HiRise, patients receive a 3D-computed tomography and 360-degree scan. Because the patients are standing for the lower extremities views, their treating physician is better able to assess the functional aspects of the child’s anatomy or injury by seeing how the body is compensating due to the medical issue.
“Whether your child was injured playing the sport they love or was born with a medical condition, availing ourselves of the latest medical technology allows our team of orthopedic specialists to provide the diagnosis and care children need to heal and keep growing,” said OIC Medical Director Mauricio Silva, M.D. “The HiRise will greatly enhance our biomechanical understanding of the entire lower extremity and will further our pursuit of helping kids grow well and play well.”
About Orthopaedic Institute for Children
Orthopaedic Institute for Children was founded in 1911 as Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital and today is the largest pediatric orthopaedic facility on the West Coast focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children. In alliance with UCLA Health and with the support of the OIC Foundation, we advance pediatric orthopaedics worldwide through outstanding patient care, medical education, and research. Our locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Westwood, and Calexico treat the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedic disorders and injuries. For more information, visit us at ortho-institute.org.
Contacts
Teezal Gaji
213-742-1501
tsgaji@mednet.ucla.edu
