CT scan facility inaugurated

BANGALORE: Now you can avail cardiac CT scan facility at a subsidised rate, thanks to the inauguration of a new cardiac CT scan facility at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research on Monday.While in the private establishments, the scan cost somewhere around Rs 10,000, at the institute, it will cost Rs 6,000.Besides, for people below poverty line (BPL), the cost will be Rs 4000.Unlike other cardiac scanning facilities, this is a non invasive procedure which not only detects problems in the heart but also in the aorta It also checks for blood clots in the lungs.Full body scanning can be done with it.Established under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Trinity Heart foundation, the cost of the new cardiac CT scan facility is Rs 4.5 crores.Under the agreement, the first 30 scanning will be done free of cost and later, the charges will be thirty percent less than the market cost.“Earlier, patients requiring this scanning facility were sent to other places, but now with this facility, one can do full body scanning in our own hospitals.Once 200 scannings get over, it would be on a profit sharing basis.The foundation will be paying us the rent of Rs 16,000 per month besides other expenditure,” said Dr CN Manjunath, institute director, after the inauguration of the facility.The facility was inaugurated by Chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda who also underwent heart screening in the new facility.Shining technology versus doctors’ health: Though this technology has come as a boon for cardiac patients, the radiation from the scanning may cause serious health problems to doctors.Speaking on the sidelines about the professional hazards, Dr Manjunath said doctors are affected by the harmful radiations.While operating the scanning device, healthcare providers may suffer premature cataract.Even in his own institute, of the total 35 cardiologist, five of them have suffered low blood counts with radiation exposure.“To protect doctors from the radiation, we have started rotations of the doctors once in three months besides providing them lead aprons and glasses,” he added.Present at the inaugural function were S A Ramdass, medical education minister, K H Gopalkrishna Gowda, principal secretary health and family welfare and (medical education), B N Vijayakumar, MLA Jayangar constitutnecy, Dr BG Muralidhar, director, Trinity Heart foundation, Minisanjeevaiah, corporator, BBMP Jayanagar east.