Winn Army Community Hospital cut the ribbon on a new CT scan machine Thursday afternoon. Winn is the first Army medical-treatment facility to receive the new technology.

“It’s the largest in the Army, has amazing functionality, and for now, we’re the only installation to have it,” WACH spokesperson Michelle Gordon said.

“While our existing scanner meets the community standard of care, technology continues to evolve,” WACH Commander Col. Ronald Place said. “In this case, the quality and number of images available will be markedly improved, resulting in better information, and enabling our clinical staff to make more informed treatment decisions.

“As the first hospital in the Army and one of the first hospitals in the country to receive this technology, it’s a tangible way of showing our commitment to providing the best possible care for soldiers and meeting the Army Family Covenant.”

The new CT scanner requires less intravenous contrast dye and transmits 50 percent less radiation than the old machine, according to Gordon. It is upgradable to 320 slices and has potential for both advanced brain and heart imaging, she said.

“The new 160-slice CT scanner is a milestone in Army radiology, because the most advanced CT scanner prior to this time was a 64-slice scanner,” Lt. Col. Mark Robinson, Winn chief of radiology, explained. “The high speed of the scanner will basically freeze motion, thereby minimizing motion related to breathing or with young children, resulting in decreased need for sedation.

“Also, we can achieve a 50 percent dose reduction in radiation and decreased risk of kidney damage related to contrast dye. Furthermore, the 160-slice scanner has the same electronics hardware as the 320-slice scanner, affording us the opportunity to expand our future capabilities and remaining on the cutting edge of technology.”