Used Medical Equipment Discussion about reconditioned medical equipment

Since its founding in 1979, CT scanners have become more widely used throughout the medical profession. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, more than 62 million CT scans are ordered annually, with 31% of these being used for CTs of the lungs.

CT stands for computed tomography, and is a method of medical imaging that uses a computer processed tomography to generate a 3-dimensional image. It works by taking a series of 2-dimensional images of the inside of an object, using a single axis of rotation, thereby creating a three dimensional view.

While early CT scanners used an axial or traverse plane, modern scanners can process a higher volume of data that can be reformatted into various planes, resulting in a volumetric representation of a structure.

Medical professionals use CT scanner in a variety of disciplines, but they are mainly a diagnostic tool to supplement other imaging techniques like x-rays and ultrasounds. Some doctors have started using CT scanners to screen for diseases like colon cancer, but alternative uses for these scanners have become somewhat controversial because they expose patients to higher levels of radiation.

Modern medical equipment like the GE Hi-Speed DXI and Philips Acqsim CT Scanner are often used to scan a patients head, and can detect a number of abnormalities, from brain injury to skull fractures, aneurysms to brain tumors. They can also be used to determine hearing problems caused by diseases of the temporal bone, and to evaluate the extent of soft tissue and bone damage in patients suffering from facial trauma.

Lung scans are also commonly done with CT scanners, particularly for detecting changes in the inside of the lungs, since normal two-dimensional x-rays cannot show such defects. In addition, CT scans are used for detecting airspace diseases like lung cancer or pneumonia. A CT angiography can be used to identify pulmonary embolisms and coronary artery disease.

Many hospitals are now looking to update their CT scanning equipment, and can often find relatively new, previously owned equipment online. Scanners like the GE Hi-Speed DXI and Philips Acqsim CT Scanner are popular choices.

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This fall, many schools across the country are stocking up on an unconventional school supply – automatic external defibrillators. We all know that a defibrillator can make the difference between life and death for someone suffering from cardiac arrest, but until recently, most school campuses haven’t had one.

More and more schools are adapting their emergency plans to include lifesaving equipment. In fact, you may have noticed defibrillators popping up in public buildings, shopping malls and almost any place where crowds of people gather. Rather than having a CPR-trained staff member on the premises, many schools have opted for a more reliable emergency plan.

Cardiac arrest occurs when the electrical impulses in the heart unexpectedly misfire, making the heart unable to pump blood. Since unconsciousness soon follows, many people would die without an electrical shock from a defibrillator. In fact, only one out of 20 cardiac arrest victims survive. While calling 911 or using CPR can save lives, 365,000 Americans will still die this year from sudden cardiac arrest, and 7,000 of these victims will be young people.

A recent study from the American Heart Association showed that among the 1710 American high schools with automatic electronic defibrillators on site, nearly two thirds of cardiac arrest victims survived. This is twelve times higher than the typical 5 percent of victims who normally survive outside of a hospital.

School athletes are far more likely to suffer from cardiac arrest than other students. At schools with defibrillators, 14 out of 36 student cases of cardiac arrest last year affected athletes, and nine of these students survived. Waiting for an EMT to arrive can take anywhere from 6 t 9 minutes, but for every minute without defibrillation, the odds of survival fall by 7-10 percent. Sadly, a victim of cardiac arrest who is not defibrillated within 8 to ten minutes has little chance of survival.

Find out if your child’s school has a defibrillator, and make sure key staff members know how to use it. It could be make the difference between life and death.

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