Baptist Health Hardin introduces new full-time digital mobile PET/CT scan unit
Elizabethtown, KY (Aug. 14, 2023) – Today, Baptist Health Hardin began offering digital PET/CT scan (Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography) in a new mobile unit stationed behind the Baptist Health Hardin Cancer Center in Elizabethtown.
The new digital mobile unit, which is stationed full-time behind the cancer center, offers more advanced diagnostic technology than its analog predecessors and is one of the first full-time digital mobile PET/CT scan units in Kentucky.
PET/CT scans measure blood flow, oxygen use and glucose metabolism, which helps doctors discern abnormal from normal functioning organs and tissues. Physicians at Baptist Health Hardin will use the PET/CT scan to diagnose and monitor cancer.
The newest addition in diagnostic technology is a United-Imaging uMI 550, a digital PET/CT scanner that delivers faster scan times, reduced radiation doses, and enhanced visualization of small lesions with exceptional image quality. The new unit will allow specific testing for certain types of cancer, which means patients have improved access to more advanced diagnostics, reducing the need to drive long distances for care.
“This combined PET/CT scan will help us diagnose patients more quickly so we can get them into treatment faster,” said Bert Jones, Baptist Health Hardin’s director of Diagnostic Imaging. “Faster diagnosis and treatment are key to better potential outcomes and improved quality of life."
Scan times may vary, but most scans take 7-15 minutes. Patients must also arrive early to prepare for the scan. With shortened scan and visit times, more patients can be screened daily using this technology.
“Baptist Health Hardin is proud to launch this new mobile PET/CT scan service,” said hospital President Robert Ramey. “The new unit will help us meet the needs of patients by offering them advanced technology closer to home. We are committed to expanding access to healthcare services that help central Kentuckians live longer and healthier lives.”
In addition to more precise diagnostic ability and shorter visit times, patients can expect a comfortable experience that includes skylights, murals, and an integrated music system.
The mobile unit is currently located at 521 Robinbrooke Blvd. in Elizabethtown. It will move to the new Baptist Health Hardin Medical Pavilion once the pavilion construction is completed in 2024.
Patients who receive a referral from their physician or healthcare practitioner can schedule an appointment by calling 270.706.5444, option 3.