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I The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, March 9,1994 15 New Ultrasound Technology 2® c/a ' 0penl y 0,Ou ?^SsSSJiS£ Is Used at Memorial Hospital Kings and queens arc often called "bluebloods" because of their aristocratic aristocratic blood lines but "blue" blood is not confined to royalty at the Diagnostic Diagnostic Imaging Department at Memorial Memorial Hospital, Bowmanville. Patients examined with the hospital's hospital's new Doppler ultrasound machine machine at times arc able to watch a screen while being examined. On this machine, their blood is coloured red, blue and various shades in between. Red indicates blood in arteries that is usually flowing away from the heart, and blue indicates blood in veins that is usually going towards the heart. The various shades indicate the speed of flow, often revealing obstructions obstructions of a narrowing of arteries and veins leading to a build-up of pressure. "This is a great piece of equipment," equipment," says Dr. Winston Heslop, one of two internists and three radiologists radiologists who interpret the results of examinations. examinations. "It helps us to assess the problem quickly and make a diagnosis diagnosis without delay, which means treatment treatment can begin sooner." The Doppler technology is used for a variety of examinations where the flow of blood forms an important part of the diagnosis, including the operation of the heart and the large carotid arteries in the neck which take blood from the heart to the brain. "The valves in the heart prevent blood from flowing back into the heart," explains Dr. Heslop. "If a valve is leaking, the leakage can be seen on the screen as a shade of purple purple as the red and the blue become mixed." The deeper the shade of jiurple, the greater the leakage, which is also recorded on a graph attached to the machine. "We can also see how well the walls of the heart are moving, if they're weak or strong and active, if the heart is normal or enlarged," says Dr. Heslop. Before the Doppler technology was developed, doctors could make a diagnosis based on little more than what they could hear and examinations examinations of the carotid arteries were restricted restricted to a type of x-ray called an angiogram. In some instances, this test may still be required. Tests of the carotid arteries are important because plaque can form in the vessels of the neck and can break up or cause complete complete obstruction to a part of the brain and trigger a stroke. "We've seen people with really severe carotid narrowing and we've sent them to the neurologist immediately immediately because they were in danger of having a stroke at any time," says Dr. Heslop. Margaret Wrightson, Technical Director of diagnostic imaging, says Joanne Sheehan, a diagnostic medical sonographer at Memorial Hospital, demonstrates an ultrasound examination. Detox Centre Gets $500,000 to Expand Premier Bob Rae and Allan Pil- key, MPP for Oshawa and Minister Without Portfolio for Municipal Affairs, Affairs, announced that Oshawa General Hospital will receive $500,000 to expand its detoxification service. Operated through the hospital's Pinewood Centre, the program will increase the number of beds from four to 20, and will now serve up to 1,500 people each year. "This program means that people needing non-medial detox services will no longer have to be cared for in the hospital system," said Premier Rae. "They will receive services right here instead of being sent to Metropolitan Metropolitan Toronto." Allan Pilkcy added, "Some of the beds will be for women who are withdrawing from alcohol and other drugs - a need that has been identified identified by the Durham Region District Health Council." the ultrasound machine sends out a sound signal that cannot be heard by the human car. The sound is reflected at different intensities depending on the density of tissue. A computer in the machine picks up the signal (or echo) and translates the sound into a picture. "It's like getting an echo from a canyon," she says. "Your voice hits the canyon wall and bounces back at you, or in this case, the machine." The department also performs ultrasound ultrasound "examinations on mothers- to-be. A special test exists which is designated designated to look in more detail at the fetus. With the use again of the Doppler Doppler technology, blood supply through the umbilical cord can be evaluated. This procedure gives information information about nourishment to the baby. The Diagnostic Imaging Department Department has two ultrasound machines, two x-ray machines and a portable x- ray machine, an emergency trauma machine and a mammography machine. machine. "Ultrasound gives information about soft tissue structure, such as organs, organs, whereas an x-ray machine is good for the skeletal structure such as the chest, spine, arms and legs. The two diagnostic tools give us different information. One complements the other," says Ms. Wrightson. "There are some special x-ray examinations examinations that show the organs, but these usually require that the patient drink something or have an injection, depending on the organ we are trying to see. For example, ultrasound shows the size and shape of the kidneys kidneys and any obstruction, but the special special x-ray tells us more about how the kidneys are actually functioning." For this type of kidney x-ray an iodine compound is injected into a vein in the patient's arm. When the iodine substance is in the blood the kidneys do their work and filter it out. While it is being filtered, the substance in the kidneys allows them to be outlined on the x-ray. For stomach x-rays, the patient is given barium mixture to drink, long regarded by many patients as distasteful. distasteful. But things have improved. "The drink used to be just a mixture mixture of barium powder and water and had a very chalky texture," says Ms. Wrightson. "Now, it comes premixed premixed and has a smoother texture and a small amount of flavouring." Technology improvements in x- ray equipment and film have reduced the amount of radiation required for examinations, says Ms. Wrightson, and only. the minimum number of views are performed'to get the information information required. The Diagnostic Imaging Department Department was expanded three years "ago as Memorial Hospital kept pace with advances in medical technology and bought new equipment costing nearly $1 million. Since then, mammography equipment equipment has cost $120,000 and die Echo Doppler machine cost around $200,000. The Doppler ultrasound unit | was donated by the Hospital Auxiliary, a joint hospital-volunteer group, and die Memorial Hospital Foundation, a charitable organization organization that raises money for equipment not provided for by the Ministry of Health. Since 1990, the number of examinations examinations has increased from 12,000 examinations a year to 19,000. A recent survey of patients showed Clarington residents are pleased with diagnostic imaging services services in their community. "Excellent compared to other hospitals hospitals in our area," said one. "I was very pleased with the next- day follow-up phone call," said another. another. "So nice, caring and refreshing." refreshing." And another commented, "My technologist was wonderful. She explained explained everything and made me feel like a real person, not a number." Hockin Ken Hockin Real Estate Ltd. Realtor |V ■ , '\p .( ! - 123 King Street E., Bowmanville 905-623-4115 Marg Bain OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2 - 4 p.m. 74 Centrefleld Drive HUGE GARAGE /WORKSHOP y, 3 bedroom bungalow with 1 1/2 baths, finished rec room H with woodstovo and hardwood floors, large fenced and j' treed lot. $144,900. Marg Bain 905-623-2661. V ' it ! » *•! GREAT STARTER HOME! 3 bedroom semi with fenced back yard, Close to 401, schools and shopping. Only $109,900. Brad Hockin 905-623-0398. PREFERRED COURTICE Spacious 4 level backsplit on huge corner lot, new Hl-efflclency gas heating, new bathroom. $143,000. Call Rob Perkin 905-623-3624 52 CARLISLE AVE., BOWMANVILLE Price change to $145,900. A ribbon-cutting with Clarington Mayor Diane Hamre was one of the highlights at the Grand Opening Opening of Gus's Wallpaper World in Bowmanville on Saturday morning. Owners Gus Annis and his mother, mother, Soula Annis, invite shoppers to come and stretch their decorating dollar. Pictured above, from left are: Soula Annis, Richard Kasperczyk and his son, Michael, who won the draw for a gallon of paint, Phillip Annis, Mayor Hamre, Tamara Annis, Dr. Howard Rundle a long-time friend of the family, Gus Annis and Haroula Annis. OUR SEVENTH SUCCESSFUL YEAR ... 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