"With 21 specialty clinics providing services here, our Radiology department has seen a 24% increase in the annual number of ultrasound procedures conducted since 2006," said Anna Laible, ECH Administrator. "Ultrasound is a very safe, reliable and economic way to observe various organs of the body."
The hospital hopes to raise $82,000 for the new equipment, which would provide better imaging detail than their current ultrasound technology. Improved imaging can lead to quicker diagnosis at earlier stages of disease.
According to Dr. Shane Fogo, a family practice physician and President of the ECH Medical Staff, ultrasound is an especially valuable tool for evaluating the first three months of pregnancy. It is also useful in diagnosing hypertension, and for determining the presence of gall stones, abdominal cysts or masses, or even potentially life-threatening events like blood clots. It is often used in combination with ECH's digital mammography capabilities to diagnose and treat breast cancer.
The fundraising committee is being led by Robin Honeg, a member of the BroMenn Foundation Board of Directors. Committee members include Eileen Baker, Steve Bertschi, Dr. Shane Fogo, Dawn Maloney, Kaywin McClure, Lisa Reinnman and Duane Schroeder.
