The SSM Neurosciences Institute employs some of the most advanced medical and surgical technology available today, such as:
Biplane Angiography Suite – Biplane imaging technology is available at DePaul and St. Clare health centers. The Biplane greatly expands treatment capabilities for stroke, aneurysm and other life-threatening neurovascular conditions by allowing enhanced, 3D visualization of the brain. Biplane technology produces sharp, continuous snapshots inside the blood vessel, enabling the specialist to maneuver a catheter through the arteries of the neck or brain.
Cyberknife - The CyberKnife Radiosurgery System at the SSM St. Joseph Hospital West offers pin-point precision with the use of intelligent robotics. The system automatically tracks, detects and corrects for tumor and patient movement throughout the treatment, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Because radiosurgery has such a dramatic effect, the changes are considered “surgical,” although no incision is used. This means no blood loss, no anesthesia and fewer complications than traditional surgery.
O-Arm – Both DePaul and St. Clare health centers have O-Arm technology. The O-Arm, a mobile CT scanner, provides surgeons real-time, 3D imaging in the operating room. In traditional spinal surgery, patients undergo preoperative imaging procedures, such as CT scans, MRIs and X-rays. Then, X-rays are repeated during surgery to help verify placement of surgical implants, such as screws. But these images provide only one-dimensional views. The O-Arm shows three planes, providing the surgeon with a more accurate verification of surgical implant placement. The patient never leaves the surgical suite.
The institute also has access to 64-slice CT scanning, SPECT/CT, wide-bore high-resolution MRI and 3T MRI.