Low Dose CT Scanner Helps Make California Non-Profit Event a Success
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN (October 16, 2006) - Let Them Hear Foundation (LTHF), a Palo Alto, California non-profit organization, gave children in need the rare opportunity to be evaluated for ear canal repair surgery last weekend.
Dr. Joseph Roberson, a renowned surgeon with the California Ear Institute and founder of LTHF, used a revolutionary low radiation dose computed tomography (CT) scanner called MiniCAT™ to evaluate pediatric patients as potential candidates for a complicated series of surgical repair procedures to correct hearing impairments caused by congenital birth defects known as atresia and microtia.
Pediatric patients and their families traveled from around the world for a conference where Dr. Roberson and other physicians presented on the treatment of atresia and microtia, and later had appointments with the physicians at the LTHF medical offices for diagnosis and evaluation of the children as potential candidates for surgery. The MiniCAT™ scanner was used as part of that diagnosis and evaluation.
"MiniCAT™ gives me the fine detail and resolution I need to determine candidacy for this remarkable surgery,” said Roberson. “The low radiation dose, lighting quick scan time, patient convenience of an in office scanner and non-threatening nature of the scan are added bonuses to the system.” Roberson acquired MiniCAT™ in early 2005 from Xoran Technologies, Inc., an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based medical imaging company.
“Ever since our daughter was born we have been waiting to get a CT scan,” said Veena Hockridge, mother of Amisha, a two-and-a-half year old born with microtia, who was scanned with MiniCAT™ at the LTHF event. “The scan done by MiniCAT™ will hopefully show the results we’ve been waiting for.”
Atresia (the absence of an ear canal) and microtia (a deformed or missing outer ear) affects approximately 1 in 6,000 children worldwide. Children with atresia and microtia typically have significant hearing loss in one or both ears. About 70% of patients with these rare birth defects are good candidates for this surgical procedure.
“As a parent I am happy to know that my daughter was not afraid during the scanning process, and that it was over very quickly,” said Hockridge. “The best news was when we were told that she didn’t have to get sedated for the scan. We are
thrilled to know that the radiation dose is so low.”
For more information on microtia and the Hockridge’s story, visit www.microtiasupport.com
For more information on the Let Them Hear Foundation, visit www.LetThemHear.org
For more information about Xoran’s MiniCAT™ scanner, visit www.xorantech.com |
