By Asmhanim Amir
Pictures by Shahiddan Saidi

CHERAS, 19 September 2017 –Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) is the first university hospital in Malaysia to be equipped with two CT Scan machines featuring cutting-edge tomography technology, namely Aquilion One and Aquilion Prime.

PPUKM Head of Department of Radiology, Prof. Dr. Hamzaini Abdul Hamid said the Toshiba Aquilion One CT Scan which features 640 slices and Aquilion Prime with 160 slices, will help doctors provide better diagnosis and treatments for patients.

“The Aquilion One CT Scan can make one Volume Scan as fast as 0.35 seconds or one rotation for some check up,” he said at the Launching Ceremony of the two machines and the Signing of Memorandum of Understanding between UKM and Toshiba Medical System Malaysia Sdn Bhd, recently.

He said both the machine can also make specific inspections, including inspection of CT Brain Perfusion for stroke, CT Coronary to see blood vessel in the heart, CT Colonography to view the blood vessels in the heart and other forms of inspections.

“This latest computer technology can decrease the radiation dose to the high minimum level without affecting the quality of the diagnostic image.

“This is especially beneficial for children who has a very short inspection capability and will ultimately reduce the radiation dose to the patient,” he said.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Toshiba Medical System Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Tan Tuan Shee said PPUKM’s extensive research, renowned expertise among the medical fraternity and high quality patient care was some of the reasons it was hand picked as the first university hospital endowed with the machines.

Toshiba is also planning to collaborate with PPUKM in establishing a training centre.

“CT Clinical training can be quite challenging but Toshiba is confident that, PPUKM has the necessary expertise to be Malaysia’s first training centre, which will train Radiologist from Malaysia and across the region,” he explained.

The event was officiated by the Chairman of  UKM Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad. Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Industry and Community Partnership, Prof Dato’ Dr Imran Ho Abdullah and the PPUKM Director, Prof Dr Zaleha Abdullah Mahdy.