RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Patients at Sanford Black Hills now have access to the most advanced CT imaging technology in South Dakota, according to Sanford Health.
Sanford officials say the Black Hills Imaging Center is now using the NAEOTOM Alpha® with Quantum Technology, a photon-counting CT scanner that provides sharper images, richer detail and lower radiation than conventional CT systems.
Sanford Black Hills President and CEO Kyle Wiese called the addition a major investment in local care. “This investment reflects Sanford Health’s commitment to bringing leading-edge, patient-center care close to home,” Wiese said. “This is a major step forward in cardiovascular care for our region, and we are proud to provide this advanced technology to our patients.”
Unlike traditional CT scanners, which reconstruct images indirectly, photon-counting CT technology uses a detector that measures each X-ray photon and captures its energy. Sanford says that produces higher spatial resolution images, reduces image “noise,” and provides spectral information in every scan—helping improve tissue characterization and diagnostic consistency.
Sanford says the scanner will be especially important for cardiovascular imaging, but it also strengthens diagnostics for emergency care, oncology and pulmonary conditions, along with everyday imaging needs.
Sanford also notes the lower radiation dose can make follow-up imaging safer for patients who need frequent scans for chronic or long-term conditions.
A ribbon-cutting for the new technology was held Wednesday at the Sanford Health Black Hills Imaging Center in Rapid City.
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