Sharp Memorial Hospital is a hospital in San Diego, California . Opened in 1955, Sharp Memorial is Sharp HealthCare 's largest hospital and the system's only designated Level II trauma center . Located in Serra Mesa , the hospital has 656 beds, including 48 for intensive-care services.
62-431: In January 2009, the new expansion of Sharp Memorial Hospital opened. The new Stephen Birch Healthcare Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital is 315,621 square feet (29,322.2 m) and holds 670 beds. The Stephen Birch Healthcare Center at Sharp Memorial Hospital features operating suites and intensive-care beds. The operating suites use boom technology to suspend equipment from the ceiling. The ceiling-mounted equipment gives
124-562: A 0.2 mm resolution. With modern dual-energy CT scanners, new areas of use have been established, such as aiding in the diagnosis of gout . CT is used in biomechanics to quickly reveal the geometry, anatomy, density and elastic moduli of biological tissues. Industrial CT scanning (industrial computed tomography) is a process which uses X-ray equipment to produce 3D representations of components both externally and internally. Industrial CT scanning has been used in many areas of industry for internal inspection of components. Some of
186-465: A body. CT scans can be used in patients with metallic implants or pacemakers, for whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is contraindicated . Since its development in the 1970s, CT scanning has proven to be a versatile imaging technique. While CT is most prominently used in medical diagnosis , it can also be used to form images of non-living objects. The 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
248-520: A full roll-out on 1 December 2022 and the TSA spent $ 781.2 million on an order for over 1,000 scanners, ready to go live in the summer. X-ray CT is used in geological studies to quickly reveal materials inside a drill core. Dense minerals such as pyrite and barite appear brighter and less dense components such as clay appear dull in CT images. Traditional methods of studying fossils are often destructive, such as
310-444: A key role in the fast-evolving field of transcatheter structural heart interventions , more specifically in the transcatheter repair and replacement of heart valves. The main forms of cardiac CT scanning are: To better visualize the anatomy, post-processing of the images is common. Most common are multiplanar reconstructions (MPR) and volume rendering . For more complex anatomies and procedures, such as heart valve interventions,
372-427: A mix of for example coloring and shading in order to create realistic and observable representations. Two-dimensional CT images are conventionally rendered so that the view is as though looking up at it from the patient's feet. Hence, the left side of the image is to the patient's right and vice versa, while anterior in the image also is the patient's anterior and vice versa. This left-right interchange corresponds to
434-469: A particular location and then stops which is followed by the X-ray tube rotation and acquisition of a slice. The table then increments again, and another slice is taken. The table movement stops while taking slices. This results in an increased time of scanning. Spinning tube, commonly called spiral CT , or helical CT, is an imaging technique in which an entire X-ray tube is spun around the central axis of
496-483: A technique to improve temporal resolution. Electron beam tomography (EBT) is a specific form of CT in which a large enough X-ray tube is constructed so that only the path of the electrons , travelling between the cathode and anode of the X-ray tube, are spun using deflection coils . This type had a major advantage since sweep speeds can be much faster, allowing for less blurry imaging of moving structures, such as
558-416: A true 3D reconstruction or a 3D print is created based on these CT images to gain a deeper understanding. CT is an accurate technique for diagnosis of abdominal diseases like Crohn's disease , GIT bleeding, and diagnosis and staging of cancer, as well as follow-up after cancer treatment to assess response. It is commonly used to investigate acute abdominal pain . Non-enhanced computed tomography
620-413: A very high dynamic range which must be reduced for display or printing. This is typically done via a process of "windowing", which maps a range (the "window") of pixel values to a grayscale ramp. For example, CT images of the brain are commonly viewed with a window extending from 0 HU to 80 HU. Pixel values of 0 and lower, are displayed as black; values of 80 and higher are displayed as white; values within
682-416: A whole-body scanner in 1975, and was senior researcher (and after his retirement in 1984, consultant) to the laboratories. While on an outing in the country, Hounsfield came up with the idea that one could determine what was inside a box by taking X-ray readings at all angles around the object. He then set to work constructing a computer that could take input from X-rays at various angles to create an image of
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#1732797835703744-406: Is a specific form of CT to assess flow through blood vessels whilst injecting a contrast agent . Blood flow, blood transit time, and organ blood volume, can all be calculated with reasonable sensitivity and specificity . This type of CT may be used on the heart , although sensitivity and specificity for detecting abnormalities are still lower than for other forms of CT. This may also be used on
806-408: Is a two dimensional unit based on the matrix size and the field of view. When the CT slice thickness is also factored in, the unit is known as a voxel , which is a three-dimensional unit. Water has an attenuation of 0 Hounsfield units (HU), while air is −1,000 HU, cancellous bone is typically +400 HU, and cranial bone can reach 2,000 HU. The attenuation of metallic implants depends on
868-405: Is a type of contrast CT to visualize the arteries and veins throughout the body. This ranges from arteries serving the brain to those bringing blood to the lungs , kidneys , arms and legs . An example of this type of exam is CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) used to diagnose pulmonary embolism (PE). It employs computed tomography and an iodine-based contrast agent to obtain an image of
930-472: Is also under consideration for automated baggage/parcel security scanning using computer vision based object recognition algorithms that target the detection of specific threat items based on 3D appearance (e.g. guns, knives, liquid containers). Its usage in airport security pioneered at Shannon Airport in March 2022 has ended the ban on liquids over 100 ml there, a move that Heathrow Airport plans for
992-576: Is available on the Nobel Prize website. The correct date is 10 October 1949 as stated in a biography of Hounsfield. At EMI, he became interested in computers and in 1958, he helped design the first commercially available all- transistor computer made in Great Britain: the EMIDEC 1100 . Shortly afterwards, he began work on the CT scanner at EMI. He continued to improve CT scanning, introducing
1054-560: Is called high resolution CT that produces a sampling of the lung, and not continuous images. Bronchial wall thickening can be seen on lung CTs and generally (but not always) implies inflammation of the bronchi . An incidentally found nodule in the absence of symptoms (sometimes referred to as an incidentaloma ) may raise concerns that it might represent a tumor, either benign or malignant . Perhaps persuaded by fear, patients and doctors sometimes agree to an intensive schedule of CT scans, sometimes up to every three months and beyond
1116-458: Is how to reduce the radiation dose during CT examinations without compromising the image quality. In general, higher radiation doses result in higher-resolution images, while lower doses lead to increased image noise and unsharp images. However, increased dosage raises the adverse side effects, including the risk of radiation-induced cancer – a four-phase abdominal CT gives the same radiation dose as 300 chest X-rays. Several methods that can reduce
1178-700: Is imaging the contents of sarcophagi or ceramics. Recently, CWI in Amsterdam has collaborated with Rijksmuseum to investigate art object inside details in the framework called IntACT. Varied types of fungus can degrade wood to different degrees, one Belgium research group has been used X-ray CT 3 dimension with sub-micron resolution unveiled fungi can penetrate micropores of 0.6 μm under certain conditions. Sawmills use industrial CT scanners to detect round defects, for instance knots, to improve total value of timber productions. Most sawmills are planning to incorporate this robust detection tool to improve productivity in
1240-461: Is limited technique as it displays only the surfaces that meet a particular threshold density, and which are towards the viewer. However, In volume rendering, transparency, colours and shading are used which makes it easy to present a volume in a single image. For example, Pelvic bones could be displayed as semi-transparent, so that, even viewing at an oblique angle one part of the image does not hide another. An important issue within radiology today
1302-607: Is often the preferred investigation modality for thyroid abnormalities. A CT scan can be used for detecting both acute and chronic changes in the lung parenchyma , the tissue of the lungs . It is particularly relevant here because normal two-dimensional X-rays do not show such defects. A variety of techniques are used, depending on the suspected abnormality. For evaluation of chronic interstitial processes such as emphysema , and fibrosis , thin sections with high spatial frequency reconstructions are used; often scans are performed both on inspiration and expiration. This special technique
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#17327978357031364-441: Is possible as present CT scanners provide almost isotropic resolution. MPR is used almost in every scan. The spine is frequently examined with it. An image of the spine in axial plane can only show one vertebral bone at a time and cannot show its relation with other vertebral bones. By reformatting the data in other planes, visualization of the relative position can be achieved in sagittal and coronal plane. New software allows
1426-476: Is set by the operator (e.g., a level that corresponds to bone). With the help of edge detection image processing algorithms a 3D model can be constructed from the initial data and displayed on screen. Various thresholds can be used to get multiple models, each anatomical component such as muscle, bone and cartilage can be differentiated on the basis of different colours given to them. However, this mode of operation cannot show interior structures. Surface rendering
1488-521: Is today the gold standard for diagnosing urinary stones . The size, volume and density of stones can be estimated to help clinicians guide further treatment; size is especially important in predicting spontaneous passage of a stone. For the axial skeleton and extremities , CT is often used to image complex fractures , especially ones around joints, because of its ability to reconstruct the area of interest in multiple planes. Fractures, ligamentous injuries, and dislocations can easily be recognized with
1550-558: The Royal Academy of Engineering . The Hounsfield Facility for 3-D CT imaging at the University of Nottingham, opened in 2014, was named after him. It was designed to apply CT scanning to biomaterials, especially within soil, and thus to the exploring the environment. Hounsfield enjoyed hiking and skiing. He had resolved to develop what came to be CT scanning while on a country ramble. He retired from EMI in 1986 and used
1612-892: The Royal Air Force as a volunteer reservist where he learned the basics of electronics and radar . After the war, he attended Faraday House Electrical Engineering College in London, graduating with the DFH (Diploma of Faraday House). Before the advent of most university engineering departments, Faraday House was a specialist Electrical Engineering college that provided university level education that combined practical experience with theoretical study. In 1949, Hounsfield began work at EMI, Ltd. in Hayes, Middlesex, where he researched guided weapon systems and radar. Hounsfield incorrectly gave this date as 1951 when he wrote his autobiography which
1674-458: The brain , where CT perfusion imaging can often detect poor brain perfusion well before it is detected using a conventional spiral CT scan. This is better for stroke diagnosis than other CT types. Positron emission tomography–computed tomography is a hybrid CT modality which combines, in a single gantry, a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner and an X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner, to acquire sequential images from both devices in
1736-411: The pulmonary arteries . CT scans can reduce the risk of angiography by providing clinicians with more information about the positioning and number of clots prior to the procedure. A CT scan of the heart is performed to gain knowledge about cardiac or coronary anatomy. Traditionally, cardiac CT scans are used to detect, diagnose, or follow up coronary artery disease . More recently CT has played
1798-423: The 1970s, CT has become an important tool in medical imaging to supplement conventional X-ray imaging and medical ultrasonography . It has more recently been used for preventive medicine or screening for disease, for example, CT colonography for people with a high risk of colon cancer , or full-motion heart scans for people with a high risk of heart disease. Several institutions offer full-body scans for
1860-615: The Gold Medal of Honor from the Department of Health and Human Services for its Organ Transplantation Program. Three Sharp Memorial caregivers were honored with the 2010 Spirit of Planetree Award, recognizing their personal embodiment of the hospital's patient-centered approach to providing care. In June 2010, Sharp Memorial was named "The Most Beautiful Hospital in America" by Soliant Health. In January 2008, Sharp Memorial became
1922-854: The Nobel Prize. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1976 and knighted in 1981. In 1974, he received the Wilhelm Exner Medal . Hounsfield was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1975 . In 1976, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . He was awarded the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1977. In 1994 he was elected an Honorary Fellow of
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1984-540: The ages of eleven and eighteen, he tinkered with his own electrical recording machines, launched himself off haystacks with his own home-made glider , and almost killed himself by using water-filled tar barrels and acetylene to see how high they could be waterjet propelled. He attended the Magnus Grammar School in Newark-on-Trent , but was not academic. Shortly before World War II , he joined
2046-461: The area being scanned. These are the dominant type of scanners on the market because they have been manufactured longer and offer a lower cost of production and purchase. The main limitation of this type of CT is the bulk and inertia of the equipment (X-ray tube assembly and detector array on the opposite side of the circle) which limits the speed at which the equipment can spin. Some designs use two X-ray sources and detector arrays offset by an angle, as
2108-408: The atomic number of the element used: Titanium usually has an amount of +1000 HU, iron steel can completely block the X-ray and is, therefore, responsible for well-known line-artifacts in computed tomograms. Artifacts are caused by abrupt transitions between low- and high-density materials, which results in data values that exceed the dynamic range of the processing electronics. CT data sets have
2170-505: The bends in a vessel, thereby helping to visualize a whole vessel in a single image or in multiple images. After a vessel has been "straightened", measurements such as cross-sectional area and length can be made. This is helpful in preoperative assessment of a surgical procedure. For 2D projections used in radiation therapy for quality assurance and planning of external beam radiotherapy , including digitally reconstructed radiographs, see Beam's eye view . A threshold value of radiodensity
2232-472: The body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers or radiology technologists. CT scanners use a rotating X-ray tube and a row of detectors placed in a gantry to measure X-ray attenuations by different tissues inside the body. The multiple X-ray measurements taken from different angles are then processed on a computer using tomographic reconstruction algorithms to produce tomographic (cross-sectional) images (virtual "slices") of
2294-446: The conservation and preservation of objects of cultural heritage. For many fragile objects, direct research and observation can be damaging and can degrade the object over time. Using CT scans, conservators and researchers are able to determine the material composition of the objects they are exploring, such as the position of ink along the layers of a scroll, without any additional harm. These scans have been optimal for research focused on
2356-395: The exposure to ionizing radiation during a CT scan exist. Although images produced by CT are generally faithful representations of the scanned volume, the technique is susceptible to a number of artifacts , such as the following: Godfrey Hounsfield Sir Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield ( / ˈ h aʊ n z f iː l d / HOWNZ -feeld ; 28 August 1919 – 12 August 2004)
2418-472: The general population although this practice goes against the advice and official position of many professional organizations in the field primarily due to the radiation dose applied. The use of CT scans has increased dramatically over the last two decades in many countries. An estimated 72 million scans were performed in the United States in 2007 and more than 80 million in 2015. CT scanning of
2480-579: The head is also used in CT- guided stereotactic surgery and radiosurgery for treatment of intracranial tumors, arteriovenous malformations , and other surgically treatable conditions using a device known as the N-localizer . Contrast CT is generally the initial study of choice for neck masses in adults. CT of the thyroid plays an important role in the evaluation of thyroid cancer . CT scan often incidentally finds thyroid abnormalities, and so
2542-453: The head is typically used to detect infarction ( stroke ), tumors , calcifications , haemorrhage , and bone trauma . Of the above, hypodense (dark) structures can indicate edema and infarction, hyperdense (bright) structures indicate calcifications and haemorrhage and bone trauma can be seen as disjunction in bone windows. Tumors can be detected by the swelling and anatomical distortion they cause, or by surrounding edema. CT scanning of
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2604-578: The heart and arteries. Fewer scanners of this design have been produced when compared with spinning tube types, mainly due to the higher cost associated with building a much larger X-ray tube and detector array and limited anatomical coverage. Dual Energy CT, also known as Spectral CT, is an advancement of Computed Tomography in which two energies are used to create two sets of data. A Dual Energy CT may employ Dual source, Single source with dual detector layer, Single source with energy switching methods to get two different sets of data. CT perfusion imaging
2666-527: The insides of these objects, as was the case with the virtual unwrapping of the En-Gedi scroll and the Herculaneum papyri . Micro-CT has also proved useful for analyzing more recent artifacts such as still-sealed historic correspondence that employed the technique of letterlocking (complex folding and cuts) that provided a "tamper-evident locking mechanism". Further examples of use cases in archaeology
2728-487: The key uses for CT scanning have been flaw detection, failure analysis, metrology, assembly analysis, image-based finite element methods and reverse engineering applications. CT scanning is also employed in the imaging and conservation of museum artifacts. CT scanning has also found an application in transport security (predominantly airport security ) where it is currently used in a materials analysis context for explosives detection CTX (explosive-detection device) and
2790-441: The long run, however initial investment cost is high. The result of a CT scan is a volume of voxels , which may be presented to a human observer by various methods, which broadly fit into the following categories: Technically, all volume renderings become projections when viewed on a 2-dimensional display , making the distinction between projections and volume renderings a bit vague. The epitomes of volume rendering models feature
2852-579: The most advanced CT scans , two radiological suites dedicated for X-rays taken directly in the Emergency and Trauma Center, an area to perform lab tests in the center for quickest results and more. A garden is located off the main lobby. Family lounges are located on each floor of the hospital. Maternity and neonatal care is provided next door at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns. Sharp Memorial Hospital has pioneered many medical firsts. Some of these include: In 2012, Sharp Memorial
2914-401: The night. The hospital has a larger Emergency and Trauma Center with 37 emergency treatment bays and 10 emergency observation beds and a new surgery center with 10 surgery suites. The new center is nearly 300 percent larger than that in the original building. The center now has 52 beds, including 4 trauma beds. The center also includes a cardiac and stroke center, a 64-view CT scanner to provide
2976-442: The object in "slices". Applying this idea to the medical field led him to propose what is now known as computed tomography. At the time, Hounsfield was not aware of the work that Cormack had done on the theoretical mathematics for such a device. Hounsfield built a prototype head scanner and tested it first on a preserved human brain , then on a fresh cow brain from a butcher’s shop, and later on himself. On 1 October 1971, CT scanning
3038-587: The recommended guidelines, in an attempt to do surveillance on the nodules. However, established guidelines advise that patients without a prior history of cancer and whose solid nodules have not grown over a two-year period are unlikely to have any malignant cancer. For this reason, and because no research provides supporting evidence that intensive surveillance gives better outcomes, and because of risks associated with having CT scans, patients should not receive CT screening in excess of those recommended by established guidelines. Computed tomography angiography (CTA)
3100-450: The reconstruction of data in non-orthogonal (oblique) planes, which help in the visualization of organs which are not in orthogonal planes. It is better suited for visualization of the anatomical structure of the bronchi as they do not lie orthogonal to the direction of the scan. Curved-plane reconstruction (or curved planar reformation = CPR) is performed mainly for the evaluation of vessels. This type of reconstruction helps to straighten
3162-479: The same session, which are combined into a single superposed ( co-registered ) image. Thus, functional imaging obtained by PET, which depicts the spatial distribution of metabolic or biochemical activity in the body can be more precisely aligned or correlated with anatomic imaging obtained by CT scanning. PET-CT gives both anatomical and functional details of an organ under examination and is helpful in detecting different type of cancers. Since its introduction in
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#17327978357033224-594: The second Sharp hospital to receive the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet recognition for nursing excellence, making Sharp HealthCare the first health system in California with two Magnet-designated hospitals. CT scans A computed tomography scan ( CT scan ), formerly called computed axial tomography scan ( CAT scan ), is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of
3286-418: The surgeons and surgical staff more mobility during procedures and also improved infection control. Surgical equipment for the operating suites includes the da Vinci Surgical System to perform robotic, minimally invasive surgery. A new feature of the hospital is that every room is a private room with its own bathroom, at no extra cost to the patient, and with sleeping space for a family member or loved one to stay
3348-422: The use of thin sections and physical preparation. X-ray CT is used in paleontology to non-destructively visualize fossils in 3D. This has many advantages. For example, we can look at fragile structures that might never otherwise be able to be studied. In addition, one can freely move around models of fossils in virtual 3D space to inspect it without damaging the fossil. X-ray CT and micro-CT can also be used for
3410-459: The view that physicians generally have in reality when positioned in front of patients. Pixels in an image obtained by CT scanning are displayed in terms of relative radiodensity . The pixel itself is displayed according to the mean attenuation of the tissue(s) that it corresponds to on a scale from +3,071 (most attenuating) to −1,024 (least attenuating) on the Hounsfield scale . A pixel
3472-529: The window are displayed as a gray intensity proportional to position within the window. The window used for display must be matched to the X-ray density of the object of interest, in order to optimize the visible detail. Window width and window level parameters are used to control the windowing of a scan. Multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) is the process of converting data from one anatomical plane (usually transverse ) to other planes. It can be used for thin slices as well as projections. Multiplanar reconstruction
3534-566: The workings of the Antikythera mechanism or the text hidden inside the charred outer layers of the En-Gedi Scroll . However, they are not optimal for every object subject to these kinds of research questions, as there are certain artifacts like the Herculaneum papyri in which the material composition has very little variation along the inside of the object. After scanning these objects, computational methods can be employed to examine
3596-578: Was a British electrical engineer who shared the 1979 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Allan MacLeod Cormack for his part in developing the diagnostic technique of X-ray computed tomography (CT). His name is immortalised in the Hounsfield scale , a quantitative measure of radiodensity used in evaluating CT scans. The scale is defined in Hounsfield units (symbol HU ), running from air at −1000 HU, through water at 0 HU, and up to dense cortical bone at +1000 HU and more. Hounsfield
3658-436: Was awarded jointly to South African-American physicist Allan MacLeod Cormack and British electrical engineer Godfrey Hounsfield "for the development of computer-assisted tomography". On the basis of image acquisition and procedures, various type of scanners are available in the market. Sequential CT, also known as step-and-shoot CT, is a type of scanning method in which the CT table moves stepwise. The table increments to
3720-506: Was born in Sutton-on-Trent , Nottinghamshire , England on 28 August 1919. He was the youngest of five children (he has two brothers and two sisters). His father, Thomas Hounsfield was a farmer from Beighton, and was linked to the prominent Hounsfield and Newbold families of Hackenthorpe Hall , his mother was Blanche Dilcock. As a child he was fascinated by the electrical gadgets and machinery found all over his parents' farm. Between
3782-543: Was formally designated as a Planetree Designated Patient-Centered Hospital, which recognized Sharp Memorial's achievement and innovation in the delivery of patient-centered care. Sharp Coronado Hospital is the only other hospital in California to receive the designation. In 2010, Press Ganey Associates recognized Sharp Memorial Hospital with its Press Ganey Top Improver Award for continuous improvement in patient satisfaction scores. In 2010, Sharp Memorial Hospital received
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#17327978357033844-499: Was introduced into medical practice with a successful scan on a cerebral cyst patient at Atkinson Morley Hospital in Wimbledon, London , United Kingdom . In 1975, Hounsfield built a whole-body scanner. The principles of computed tomography developed by Hounsfield remain in use today (2022). In 1979, Hounsfield and Cormack received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Hounsfield received numerous awards in addition to
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