Patients in Nova Scotia’s western region will soon have access to a major leap in medical imaging technology.
South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater has received its new SPECT-CT scanner — a hybrid machine that combines nuclear medicine with CT imaging to create sharper, more detailed 3D scans. The unit replaces equipment installed back in 2004.
Chris Connolly, director of diagnostic imaging and cardiac investigation for Nova Scotia Health’s western zone, says the new machine is “a game-changer.”
“It improves the quality of images in nuclear medicine and lets us localize and identify very fine structures in the body,” Connolly said. “It truly is a game-changer.”
The scanner also includes a built-in diagnostic CT component, which Connolly says will help ensure emergency patients can still receive scans even if the hospital’s main CT scanner is down for maintenance. “That means we won’t have to divert emergency cases to other sites during any planned or unplanned downtime,” he said.
For Connolly, the arrival marks a milestone for the region. “It’s more than a big win — it’s a huge win. South Shore Regional was the last hospital in the province without access to a SPECT-CT, so this brings us to the same standard of care as the rest of Nova Scotia.”
The installation is part of a broader modernization effort across the western zone, with new systems already in place in the Valley and upgrades planned for Yarmouth.
Connolly also credits the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore, which contributed roughly $1 million toward the purchase. “A huge thanks to the Foundation and all the donors who made this happen,” he said.
The department redesign and installation project has taken about seven months to complete.
Connolly says staff are now preparing for final testing and training, with patients expected to begin using the new scanner in November.
