MUSCATINE, Iowa — Austin Behrensmeyer did not imagine he would ever see the yellow walls at Unity Hospital after he helped paint them.

But Behrensmeyer, who works for Terry and Sons Painting Contractors, donned a hospital gown Wednesday for a computed tomography, or CT, scan. The scan was done in a room that was remodeled to accommodate the new machine.

“I was expecting something that was long and drawn out,” Behrensmeyer, 26 of New Liberty, said after the procedure that lasted 10-15 minutes.

Faster scans are one of the advantages of the new 32-slice imaging system from General Electric, said Jeri Baily, Unity’s director of radiology and lab services.

Dr. Alan Fedge, radiology medical director, said that translates into clearer images and faster treatment for patients.

“One of the advantages of this system is we have a very active (emergency room) with a lot of trauma,” Fedge said.

He said it is important to quickly diagnose patients to treat their injuries, and free the equipment for another patient.

A tube that captures images of patients’ internal anatomy rotates in six seconds instead of 40 seconds with the previous technology, and takes 32 images instead of one.

Patients are asked to hold their breath during the rotation, so the faster scan is easier on elderly patients and children and also helps produce clearer images with less motion distortion, Fedge said.

The new imager also captures higher-resolution images of thinner cross-sections — like a slice of bread — of patients’ bodies.

Computer software allows physicians to look at each slice individually or compile them into a view of the patient as if they were standing.

Behrensmeyer viewed the images with technicians after his procedure.

“That’s cool stuff,” he said. “I didn’t think you could see that well inside there.”

A doctor would share the findings of the scan with Behrensmeyer later.

He said he was scheduled for surgery Friday, because doctors are 90 percent certain he has cancer.

Almost 200 patients have received CT scans with the new imager since Unity began using it Oct. 6.

Reporter contact information

Jennifer Meyer: 563-262-0525

jennifer.meyer@muscatinejournal.com

Open house

Unity Hospital will host an open house from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 9, for the public to view the new CT imager.

More than $128,000 to remodel the space was donated by the Vera Powell estate of Muscatine.