Next-generation digital imaging platform installed at Markham Stouffville Hospital
Oak Valley Health’s (OVH) Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) has become the first hospital in the region and only the second in Ontario to install GE HealthCare’s StarGuide SPECT/CT scanner, a next-generation digital imaging platform that is helping shape the future of nuclear medicine diagnostics.
Designed to enhance imaging performance and improve workflow efficiency, the new technology will also support the future delivery of theranostics, an emerging approach that combines diagnostic imaging and targeted therapy to advance cancer care.
“The StarGuide scanner has tremendous capability to bring theranostic imaging to York and Durham regions, which is advanced imaging that only some health care centres in Ontario are just starting to deliver, and OVH is positioning itself to ensure we are ready and equipped to provide advanced care to this rapidly growing community,” says Dr. Mitesh Mehta, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging. “Theranostics does require PET [positron emission tomography] scanning to be available, which would allow us to find and treat cancers such as thyroid cancer and prostate cancer, and specific neuroendocrine tumours within millimetres, without systemic chemotherapy or radiation.”
Powered by advanced cadmium zinc telluride detector technology, the StarGuide scanner produces high-quality 3D images across a broad range of nuclear medicine exams. Its enhanced imaging capabilities support greater diagnostic accuracy and precision, helping care teams make more informed clinical decisions and develop personalized treatment plans.
The system also offers important benefits for patients, including shorter scan times, the potential for lower radiation exposure, and improved detection of small lesions. Together, these advancements can help improve access to care and support more timely diagnosis and treatment.
“The quality of molecular and anatomic imaging is far more detailed than 2D imaging and will contribute to significant advances in patient care that translate to more efficient diagnostics and decision-making, as well as less time off work for patients undergoing testing, and faster back-to-normal,” says Dr. Mehta.
To further strengthen image quality and streamline diagnostic workflows, the hospital has also implemented GE HealthCare’s Xeleris V image reconstruction platform.
“This technology marks a new chapter for nuclear medicine at OVH, strengthening our ability to provide advanced diagnostic imaging for our patients,” says Jean Nash, director of Laboratory and Diagnostic Services.
Made possible through the generous support of Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, this investment brings leading-edge diagnostic imaging technology closer to home for patients and families across York and Durham regions.
The installation reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to innovation, patient-centred care, and ensuring access to the latest advancements in medical imaging.
Photo: Markham Stouffville Hospital installs GE HealthCare’s StarGuide SPECT/CT scanner, a next-generation digital imaging platform that is helping shape the future of nuclear medicine diagnostics. The MSH leadership team and diagnostic services team celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.