Rapides Regional Medical Center on Friday held a ribbon-cutting for the most advanced interventional radiology suite in a hospital in the region.
This new $3 million investment allows interventional radiologists to perform a wide array of procedures with much greater precision. Radiologists will be able to provide patients with interventional oncology, vascular treatments and musculoskeletal treatments.
“We will be able to perform CT scans while the patient is on the table,” said Elie Barakat, MD, interventional radiologist at Rapides Regional Medical Center. “This will help during treatments we are doing, especially advanced oncology treatments. We can directly inject beams of radiation inside the tumors.”
Dr. Barakat noted two main benefits for patients — they are subjected to less radiation, and they can receive these treatments without having to travel to other areas of the state.
“These treatments are super targeted and curative, not just palliative,” said Dr. Barakat. “Patients are getting the most advanced treatments and they are minimally invasive.”
“We are proud to unveil the most advanced interventional radiology suite in a hospital in our region, a milestone that reflects our continued commitment to bringing leading-edge healthcare close to home,” said Vernon Jones, Rapides Regional Medical Center CEO. “I want to thank our physicians, radiology team, and hospital staff whose expertise and dedication made this possible.”
Other procedures that will be performed in the IRU suite include fluid management, biopsies, vascular access, drainage issues, uterine and prostate embolization and cryoblation.
“Both our patients and clinicians can benefit from the speed, low-dose levels, and outstanding image quality of this new system,” explained Brandi Laroux, Radiology Director at Rapides Regional. “It will allow our physicians to complete a variety of diagnostic and interventional procedures faster, and that means the patient is off the table and on their way to recovery and discharge much sooner.”