Qscan Tweed City is now open!

We are excited to announce that Qscan Group’s newest clinic, Qscan Tweed City, is now open.

Conveniently located at Tweed City Shopping Centre, the state-of-the-art clinic will service patients from across the Tweed and Northern Rivers regions.

Qscan Tweed City offers a range of medical imaging and interventional services, including x-ray, ultrasound, CT scans, dental imaging, OPG, and interventional procedures.

The clinic’s strategic placement in the shopping centre ensures easy access for our patients, with ground-level accessibility and ample free parking.

Located between Qscan Burleigh Heads and North Coast Radiology Byron Bay, the clinic is helping to bridge the gap in our extensive portfolio to allow us to provide healthcare services to more Australian communities.

Our dedicated on-site radiologist Dr Susan Ly will lead a passionate team of healthcare professionals at Qscan Tweed City and their enthusiasm and commitment to providing outstanding patient care make them an integral part of the Qscan family.

We are excited to welcome patients to Qscan Tweed City, whether you require diagnostic imaging or interventional procedures, we are here to meet your healthcare needs.

Qscan Tweed City is the Group’s third new clinic to open this year, following the recent launch of Qscan Maroochydore and Qscan Newstead.

Click here find out more about Qscan Tweed City.

Book an appointment today.

Qscan’s newest clinic opens at Newstead

Qscan Group have today celebrated the opening of our newest clinic, Qscan Newstead.

Qscan Newstead will provide a range of medical imaging and interventional services including x-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, dental imaging and OPG, DEXA/BMD Body Composition and interventional procedures.

The clinic is Qscan’s 15th to open in Brisbane, located in the inner northern suburbs and servicing the densely populating surrounding areas including Newstead, Fortitude Valley, New Farm, Teneriffe and Bowen Hills.

It is located within a multi-purpose facility housing Bunnings and other retail offerings and has fully undercover parking for our patients.

Our on-site radiologist is Dr Michael Tuppin and our team members are all excited to open the newest clinic in the Qscan fleet – just weeks after Maroochydore.

Qscan Newstead is now open on Breakfast Creek Road. For more information or to make an appointment click here.

Qscan’s newest clinic opens on the Sunshine Coast

Qscan Group have today celebrated the opening of our newest clinic Qscan Maroochydore, which will enhance healthcare accessibility and improve outcomes for regional cancer patients.

The clinic is Qscan’s first operation on the Sunshine Coast and will provide a range of medical imaging and interventional services including x-ray, ultrasound, CT, PET-CT and interventional procedures.

The Maroochydore clinic offers the Sunshine Coast’s newest PET-CT service, with patients set to benefit from reduced wait times and expert reporting from subspecialist radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists.

Prior to this, just three PET-CT locations serviced the region, including those located in the Buderim and Sunshine Coast University Hospitals, forcing many patients to drive to Brisbane to access faster appointments and premium PET-CT services.

Qscan Group CEO Dr Gary Shepherd said it was really important for communities to have access to these services.

“Cancer is an incredible diagnosis, it’s challenging for the individual and also for their families, you have to take time off work, other family members often have to take time off work to help support you during this journey,” he said.

“Everything we can do to keep people in their local region rather than going to a hub such as Brisbane really helps the community, so for instance they don’t have to take time off work, they don’t have to take their kids out of school.

“We have some great specialists up on the Sunshine Coast, so people who are highly trained, and having a state-of-the-art facility such as this one allows them to have careers locally, and to support how they deliver health care.”

Our friendly team at Qscan Maroochydore are joined by local onsite radiologists Dr Michael Kreltszheim and Dr John Blazak, to provide expert subspecialty reporting and premium patient care.

Dr Blazak said the new clinic would benefit Sunshine Coast cancer patients and their families.

“Patients will have faster access to appointments, allowing for earlier detection and expediting treatment,” he said.

“We are looking forward to providing premium oncology and medical imaging services to patients on the Sunshine Coast.”

Qscan Maroochydore is now open, located on Wises Road. For more information or to make an appointment click here.

Qscan Group is proud to offer high-quality oncological services for our patients, with 13 PET-CT locations across Australia. Find a clinic near you here.

Regional prostate cancer patients to benefit as Qscan Mackay launch new service

Qscan Group are proud to have launched a new service which will enhance healthcare accessibility and improve outcomes for regional cancer patients.

Patients being treated for prostate cancer at Qscan Mackay are the first in Queensland and one of the most remote communities worldwide to be offered diagnostic imaging with Illuccix, the first and only PSMA-PET-CT agent to be registered by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration for the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson, Clinic Manager and Nuclear Medicine Technologist Kelly Foster, Queensland Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Infrastructure Julieanne Gilbert, Dr Peter Jackson, Regional Manager David Watts, and Qscan Group Executive Dylan Campher were in attendance as the service was launched in Mackay.

In an Australian first, staff at Qscan Mackay will be able to produce the innovative nuclear medicine imaging agent on-site, eliminating the need to transport radiopharmaceuticals by plane, and allowing the clinic to prepare and administer Illucix when patients need it.

Illucix can help radiologists find even the smallest traces of prostate cancer, providing a greater level of detection and reliability, with the ability to find the cancer cells anywhere it may have spread to in the body.

Qscan in Mackay is currently the only imaging centre in Queensland to offer advanced prostate scanning with Illuccix.

Qscan Radiologist and Theranostics Specialist Dr Dalveer Singh said the service brings new opportunities to the region and provides better health services for men with prostate cancer.

“Research has found that one in six Australian men lack access to PSMA PET-CT scanning simply because they live in a rural area – Qscan is very proud to be breaking down this barrier here in Queensland.

“We believe that every Australian deserves world class healthcare and appreciate the intricate challenges to make this a reality.”

Qscan Mackay operate the only PET scanner between Bundaberg and Townsville and this new service is expected to benefit hundreds of local patients over the next 12 months.

Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia (PCFA) CEO Anne Savage labelled this service a game changer for men suffering prostate cancer.

Around 40 per cent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Queensland live in regional areas, and only around one in five Queensland men detect the cancer at Stage 1.

The access to Illucix for PSMA PET-CT imaging will help provide potentially life-saving care for hundreds of men in Mackay and surrounding regions, while addressing an unmet need for the service in regional Queensland.

PSMA PET-CT is offered at all Qscan clinics with PET-CT services.

Qscan Group is proud to offer high-quality oncological services for our patients, with 13 PET-CT locations across Australia. Find a clinic near you here.

Nerve Root HCLA Injections at Qscan

Nerve root HCLA injections are essential for neuropathic pain, as they provide diagnostic and therapeutic benefits. They can help identify the specific nerve root causing the pain and offer targeted pain relief by delivering a high concentration of local anaesthetic and corticosteroids to the affected nerve.

These minimally invasive procedures minimise complications, allow outpatient treatment, offer a fast post-procedural recovery and reduce the need for surgery. The injections have therapeutic effects beyond the anaesthetic duration, reducing inflammation and interrupting pain signalling. By directly targeting the involved nerve root, they offer a tailored approach to manage neuropathic pain, increasing the chances of successful treatment.

CASE STUDY: 43yo female right arm pain

1. Patient presents with neuropathic pain right arm to elbow

2. CT performed showing mild narrowing of C5/6 intervertebral foramen and possible compression of R C6 nerve root.

Caused by uncovertebral osteophytes.

 

3. Recommend C6 nerve root HCLA for treatment and diagnosis
Diagnostic CT: Supine
Irregular skin contour, long route to foramen
(O = vertebral artery)

4. Attends for nerve root injection

  • Patient consented including risk of posterior circulation stroke
  • Head turned to left
  • Skin marker applied
  • Radio-opaque lines
  • Patient marked
  • 1% lignocaine to skin using 25G needle

  • Needle advanced to foramen
  • Carefully avoid vertebral artery (O)
  • Symptoms reproduced
  • Mixture 4mg dexamethasone + 2mls 0.5% bupivacaine injected
  • Pain resolved

Learning points:

  • Mild foraminal narrowing cause radiculopathy
  • HCLA injection was diagnostic as well as therapeutic
  • Patient positioning is important in procedures

Qscan Group is proud to offer a range of interventional procedures and image-guided injections.

With state-of-the-art technology our radiologists can capture high quality, detailed images allowing for a comprehensive view of the affected area and more accurate injection placement, for personalised treatment plans.

If you think you may benefit from HCLA injections, speak to your doctor about your suitability for this procedure. HCLA injections are offered at select Qscan clinics.

Qscan Redcliffe introduce Echo Ultrasound service

Qscan Redcliffe is proud to introduce bulk-billed echocardiography ultrasound to its range of medical imaging services, commencing on June 7, 2023.

Echocardiography utilises ultrasound to assess the structure and function of the heart. Soundwaves produced by the system provide detailed imaging of the heart, called echocardiograms, which can be used to diagnose and monitor heart conditions.

Scans are performed by highly skilled, sub-specialised sonographers with more than 10 years of experience in cardiac ultrasound.

Echocardiography can be used to assess things like:

  • The size and function of the heart chambers
  • The motion of the heart’s muscular walls
  • The state and function of the heart’s valves
  • The presence of fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion)
  • Ejection fraction, or the strength of contraction of the left ventricle (a measurement of how much blood the left ventricle pumps with each heartbeat)

Echocardiograms can be used to detect or monitor a range of conditions like congenital heart disease, endocarditis, cardiomyopathy, valve disease and more.

Qscan Redcliffe offers a range of cardiac imaging services, including echocardiography, cardiac CT, cardiac MRI and more.

Click here for more information about Qscan Redcliffe.

To book an appointment click here.

Qscan Group to open new clinic on the Sunshine Coast

Qscan Group is pleased to announce that we will be expanding our footprint to include a brand new Qscan Radiology Clinic on the Sunshine Coast.

Currently, cancer patients on the Sunshine Coast and surrounding areas only have two options for PET-CT services – Buderim or Sunshine Coast University Hospitals. Many patients drive to Brisbane to access premium PET-CT services. We are building a state-of-the-art clinic on Wises Road, Maroochydore, to service cancer patients and their referring doctors.

This beautiful new clinic will have on-site subspecialist dual-trained radiologists and will also feature x-ray, ultrasound and CT services.

We are looking forward to providing premium oncology and medical imaging services to patients on the Sunshine Coast.

The new clinic is expected to open in August 2023.

Qscan Annerley MAGNETOM Lumina 3T MRI Scanner

Qscan Annerley is proud to introduce its newest addition to its range of diagnostic imaging services – the MAGNETOM Lumina 3T MRI scanner from Siemens Healthineers.

The MAGNETOM Lumina 3T is powered by AI and BioMatrix, which allows the scanner to automatically adjust to the unique needs of each patient, accommodating more patient and exam types. This means that the scanner is able to provide high quality 3T images for both routine clinical exams and the most advanced cases.

At Qscan Annerley, we understand that undergoing an MRI can be a daunting experience. That’s why we’ve implemented AI technology to improve the guidance, workflow, acquisition, examination, processing, and interpretation of the MRI scan, resulting in better patient outcomes.

AI powered technology allows for accurate patient positioning, automated procedure planning, standardised image quality, replacement of labour-intensive tasks, and fast interpretation through display information. This means that you can rest assured that you’re receiving the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan possible.

In addition to the AI-powered technology, we’re proud to introduce Innovision, a unique in-bore infotainment solution designed to improve your patient experience. Innovision provides a high-quality video experience enriched by custom content, clear audio signals with outstanding sound quality, immersion starting before you even enter the bore, larger bore to reduce claustrophobia, and efficient MRI noise reduction from a unique memory foam pillow.

We understand that the quality of your experience is just as important as the quality of the diagnosis and treatment you receive. That’s why we’ve invested in the latest technology and resources to ensure that your experience at Qscan Annerley is as comfortable and stress-free as possible

Prioritising patient comfort with Qscan Windsor’s new ambient experience MRI

Qscan Windsor will soon be home to the Philips MR7700 3T with Ambient Experience, the most advanced clinical MRI in the Southern Hemisphere.

This MRI’s features include:

  • Highest quality diffusion MRI imaging for all anatomies
  • Unmatched performance and precision, allowing for confident diagnoses
  • Patient-centred productivity, including freedom in patient positioning
  • A 70cm wide bore – the widest bore available
  • An in-bore solution, which leads to a decrease in levels of anxiety

 

Benefits of the Ambient Experience

The Ambient Experience integrates architecture, design, and enabling technologies to maximise patient comfort. In-bore video, dynamic lighting, side wall projection, and sound provide positive distractions for patients, who are also able to personalise their environment by selecting their own room themes and audio.

The Ambient Experience in-bore Connect provides the patient with information and guidance during the scan. It is an immersive video experience, with cues for breath holds and a personalised progress bar.

A study at the Herlev Gentofte University Hospital in Denmark found the in-bore experience led to a 70% reduction in interrupted exams. Patients felt more comfortable during and were more satisfied with their exams, and 84% reported that the progress bar helped them feel calmer during the scan.

The Philips MR7700 3T with Ambient Experience is now available at Qscan Windsor, with extended opening hours for MRI scans. Click here for more information about Qscan Windsor.

 

References

de Ruyter, B., & Timmers, I. (2020). The cost of fear and anxiety in radiology: What you can do to reduce it [White paper]. Koninklijke Philips N.V. https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/ consulting/articles/white-paper/ cost-of-fear-and-anxiety-inradiology

State-of-the-art women’s imaging centre at Qscan Windsor

Women’s imaging encompasses a range of modalities, including mammogram, breast ultrasound, breast MRIs, obstetric and gynaecologic MRIs.

Mammography is dedicated x-ray of the breasts, and can be performed in asymptomatic women (screening mammogram) or those with symptoms (diagnostic mammogram). Ultrasound is generally considered complementary to mammography, and may be performed for assessment of an area of potential abnormality seen on mammogram, or to ensure the breast tissue is normal.  In some women (such as those under the age of 35, or when pregnant/lactating), ultrasound is recommended as a first line investigation.  An ultrasound- or mammographic-guided biopsy may be conducted if a radiologist requires a sample of breast tissue for pathologic examination.

While mammograms and breast ultrasounds are primarily concerned with the structure of breast tissue, MRI permits radiologists to assess the function of the tissue (i.e. the physiology).  Breast MRI is performed for specific indications, such as for surgical planning, and for screening in high risk populations (i.e. inherited genetic mutations).

Obstetric ultrasounds are performed as routine checkups for mother and baby. These may include early dating, nuchal translucency, morphology, and third trimester ultrasounds. Nuchal translucency ultrasounds are particularly important, as they can identify a pregnancy with an increased chance of chromosomal abnormalities – this includes Down syndrome, Patau syndrome, and Edwards’ syndrome.

Pelvic MRIs may be useful in the diagnosis of endometriosis or other fertility-related issues. It provides an image of the organs inside the pelvis, and is able to provide additional information regarding possible endometrial growths. They are also conducted if there is unexplained infertility or pelvic pain, can detect fibroids, and are useful for further investigation of pelvic masses and abnormal vaginal bleeding.

The newly re-opened Qscan Windsor clinic offers comprehensive women’s imaging services, including mammograms and mammogram-guided biopsies.

To book an appointment at Qscan Windsor, click here