UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL THURSDAY, 18 MAY 2017, 00.01AM NZST
Pacific Radiology Partners with Siemens Healthineers in Rebuild of St George’s Imaging Facility
Rebuild delivers latest medical innovations including the country’s most advanced Siemens CT scanner and first fully
robotic X-ray system, as part of ongoing efforts to restore Christchurch
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, May 18, 2017 - Six years on from the 2011 earthquake that shattered Christchurch and local communities, Pacific Radiology Group today
opened the doors of its new and enhanced imaging facility at St George’s Hospital. The launch follows extensive
redevelopment efforts, which saw the deployment of two state-of-the-art medical imaging systems from Siemens
Healthineers, aimed at providing patients and healthcare professionals with ease of access to first-class capabilities.
The two technologies – SOMATOM Drive, the most advanced Siemens CT scanner in New Zealand today, and Multitom RAX, the
country’s foremost installation of the world’s first twin robotic X-ray machine – will propel St George’s to become the
most advanced imaging hospital nationwide.
St George’s was one of many facilities directly affected by the earthquakes. While there were plans to refurbish the
hospital prior to this, the full impact of the disaster meant a complete rebuild was essential. In addition to repairing
and rebuilding, the redevelopment also paves the way for the future of healthcare for Christchurch and the wider New
Zealand community.
“The rebuild has brought with it a new lease on life for St George’s and the city. At its core, it will provide patients
with the best possible care via far greater imaging capabilities,” said Dr Ross Keenan, Radiologist and Director at
Pacific Radiology. “Further to that, we believe the new facility will put Christchurch back on the map for health
professionals looking to work with the latest in medical technology, as opposed to turning to larger New Zealand cities
like Auckland and Wellington, or even towards Australian shores.
“The new installations provide enormous diagnostic capabilities and complement the full suite of imaging solutions
within the wider Group. We look forward to continue working closely with Siemens to discover potentially new and
innovative imaging techniques, to ultimately benefit the community,” he added.
Driving the next frontier of healthcare in Christchurch
The installations are expected to bolster Christchurch’s healthcare advancements. SOMATOM Drive, for one, offers cardiac
CT capability, which allows radiologists to image virtually patients of any size, heart rate, or heart rhythm –all
limitations with older systems.
On the other hand, Multitom RAX brings with it robust diagnostic versatility, providing a fluoroscopic functionality as
well as enabling true 3D weight-bearing, erect imaging – the latter delivering potential benefits for spinal surgical
planning.
“As the ageing population and global changes in diet and physical activity continue to give rise to new and more complex
diseases, technology can be a powerful tool in boosting prevention, early detection and treatment,” said Lauren Greig,
General Manager for New Zealand at Siemens Healthineers. “Improving patient care via clinical excellence and operational
efficiency lies at the heart of what we do at Siemens.
“We are delighted to have partnered with Pacific Radiology in the redevelopment of their St George’s facility, and are
confident the reopening will not only provide patients with better care but enable and fuel increased focus on research
and development both locally and nationally,” she added.
Features at a glance:
- SOMATOM Drive
• Most advanced Siemens CT scanner in New Zealand with highest specifications
• Multi-energy and Dual Source technology to boost diagnostic accuracy and drive precision
• Extremely low dose scans, which is of most benefit to paediatric patients
• 3D & 4D cinematic imaging capabilities
• Ultra-fast scanning capabilities
• Pivotal in lung cancer detection screening
- Multitom RAX
• First installation of world-first multipurpose twin robotic X-ray machine in New Zealand
• True 3D weight bearing capabilities to enable imaging of a wider range of patients
• Robotic Advanced X-ray (RAX) technology delivers high asset utilisation and new clinical insights, whilst
reducing patient positioning and transfers
• Hybrid nature of the system provides users with not only conventional radiographic imaging but also
cross-sectional CT imaging