Toronto General Hospital unveils novel technology-based platform to improve patient care

The Toronto General Hospital today becomes the first healthcare institution in the world to unveil a novel technology-based platform aimed at shortening the time required to translate medical research into clinical practice. This will enable faster diagnoses and more rapid treatment for patients with heart disease and other conditions that are detected using advanced medical imaging devices.

"This unique set-up advances the frontier for tomorrow's patients in truly significant ways," says Dr. Narinder Paul, Division Chief, Cardiothoracic Imaging at Toronto General Hospital. "Having two cutting-edge CT scanners sitting virtually side by side in a novel integrated layout will allow us to pinpoint heart disease earlier, identify opportunities for improving patient care and translating this almost immediately into clinical practice," he says.

A computerized tomography (CT) scan marries x-ray images of the bones, blood vessels and specific tissues inside the body with computer-processed images to yield highly-detailed images used by medical professionals to detect disease, map out a treatment plan and better understand the impact of that treatment on patients.

"Because changes in blood flow are the earliest indicator of potential disease in the heart, the specific images produced by CT scans in this bench to bedside approach will profoundly enhance our ability to diagnose illness before irreversible heart disease occurs, like a heart attack," says Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical Director, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. "Our culture of innovation demands that we continually push forward to harness the marvels of technology optimally to provide the best possible care for our patients," he says.

The multi-year project between the University Health Network's Joint Department of Medical Imaging (JDMI) and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre features two identical scanners, operated within a shared control room, offering clinicians the unique opportunity to expedite the transfer of research findings from one CT into clinical use on the other scanner.

"Toshiba is extremely proud of the long lasting relationship with UHN and we refer to it as one of our most prestigious global partnerships" says Jens Dettmann, General Manager and VP of Toshiba of Canada, Medical Systems Division. The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre's research team provides important and extremely valuable input for future developments of our products and solutions. More importantly, we together have one common goal, provide better patient care."

The integrated platform also supports ongoing efforts to decrease patient exposure to radiation as a result of using novel radiation dose efficient technology that produces more detailed images and reduces the need for additional tests.

"This exciting initiative brings imagers closer together with our cardiac and research partners, helping further distinguish ourselves as a leading state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary institution," says Dr. Larry White, Radiologist-in-Chief, Joint Department of Medical Imaging.

Traditionally, the timeline for having validated research adopted into clinical practice spans several months and in many cases years.