4-D Ultrasound -- "4D" is shorthand for "four-dimensional"- the fourth dimension
being time. Used primarily for providing state-of-the-art care for high-risk moms,
this technology takes three-dimensional ultrasound images and adds the element
of time to the process. The result is the live images of the fetus (or of any internal
anatomy). In contrast to other 3D imaging diagnostic processes, 4D provides
physicians with the technology to visualize internal anatomy moving in real time.
 64-Slice CT Scanner – This new technology, a $1.3
million Philips Brilliance 64-slice CT Scanner and Diagnostic
Imaging System, was added to our Diagnostic Radiology
Department this past June. This equipment provides
crisp, detailed images of the body in seconds, improving
both the speed and accuracy of imaging results. The
64-slice CT scanner has the capacity to view microscopic,
anatomical detail in the smallest arteries of the brain,
heart and peripheral vascular system, bringing the
hospital’s imaging technology into the 21st Century.
 Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory – Ten years ago, Christ Hospital received approval to perform diagnostic cardiac catheterizations, and opened a new lab. Thousands of procedures were done in the original lab, including dozens of primary angioplasty cases – with excellent patient outcomes. Although the original lab was fully functional, Christ Hospital made a $2 million commitment to replace the existing lab with the latest technological, state-of-the-art radiology and homodynamic monitoring equipment. The new lab opened this summer.
 High Dose Radiation (HDR) Treatments -- This past July, the hospital began offering High-Dose Rate
(HDR) brachytherapy, an innovative form of internal radiation treatments. Brachytherapy is an
advanced cancer treatment, whereby radioactive seeds or sources are placed in or near the tumor itself.
This methodology gives a high radiation dose to the tumor while reducing the radiation exposure in
the surrounding healthy tissues. This comprehensive, aggressive approach to treatment uses internal
radiotherapy for cancers of the breast, cervix, lung, prostate, rectum, uterus and tongue. In many cases,
brachytherapy is an effective alternative to surgical removal of a tumor and the affected organ.
 Interventional Radiology – This past January, the radiological services at Christ
Hospital were significantly upgraded with the addition of a fully integrated
interventional radiology program. These highly specialized interventional radiological
services include radio-frequency ablation, chemo-embolization, carotid
stenting, uterine embolization, and endovenous laser treatment of varicose veins,
and are provided on a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week basis.
 Sleep Lab Services -- The Sleep Disorders Lab at Christ Hospital offers a full range of
Services designed to evaluate, diagnose, treat and help manage sleeping disorders.
Patients usually spend the night in the hospital's sleep lab, where experienced
technologists monitor and record brain waves, muscle activity, respiration and heart
rhythms while the patient sleeps. Results of the studies are interpreted by physicians
board certified in sleep medicine and or pulmonary medicine and otolaryngologists
(ear, nose and throat specialist). The most common sleep disorders include: insomnia,
narcolepsy and sleep apnea.
 Stereotactic Breast Biopsies -- As a commitment to the
Hudson County community to provide a comprehensive
oncology center, Christ Hospital began performing stereotactic
breast biopsies this spring. A safe, minimally invasive procedure,
a stereotactic breast biopsy is used to obtain tiny samples from
an abnormal breast mass or areas of suspicious calcification for
examination by a pathologist. The sample is then biopsied to
determine if the breast abnormality is benign (non-cancerous) or
not. While mammography is an excellent way to detect breast
abnormalities, in many cases it is not possible to tell from the
imaging studies alone, if a growth is benign or cancerous.
 Vascular Diagnostic Laboratory -- One of the centers of excellence at Christ
Hospital, this non-invasive center has received international accreditation from the
Intersocietal Commission for Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL),
insuring that it has met strict criteria for providing the highest quality imaging and
reports. Noninvasive testing, as the name implies, allows patients to be examined
and diagnosed using Doppler ultrasound technology free of the risks and discomforts
of injections and / or other invasive maneuvers. These tests allow the diagnosis
of almost all known or suspected vascular disorders, and testing can often
determine the severity of the problems and the need for
treatment. No type of radiation is used, thus, this type of testing is safe for nearly every patient –
including pregnant women.
 X-Stop Spinal Surgery – Under its Neurosciences and Spinal Surgical Department,
Christ Hospital began offering an alternative for the treatment of spinal
stenosis. Rather than undergoing laminectomy, a new procedure was
recently approved by the FDA. Known as the “X-Stop,” the spinal surgeon
places a titanium implant or spacer just beneath the skin between
spinous processes (“bumps” on the back). The device or spacer then
opens up the area in the spinal column, thereby taking the pressure off the
nerves. The procedure can be done under local anesthesia, and generally
takes under one hour. Most patients can go home later that same day.
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