CT Scanner Project

We are proud to share that the Mammoth Hospital Foundation has fully funded the $700,000 cost of its new, state-of-the-art Canon Aquilion CT Scanner. Thank you to our generous community, and especially the Mammoth Hospital Auxiliary, for helping secure this vital piece of lifesaving equipment for our residents and guests.

What is a CT: Our Number One Diagnostic Tool

A CT, or computerized tomography, scanner images a patient’s body into thin slices, allowing physicians to see pathology or damages to tissue to identify the source of unknown pain or injury quickly and accurately. It produces detailed images of the body including organs, muscles, bones and blood vessels. CT scans have a much higher level of detail than x-rays and ultrasounds and can provide a definitive diagnosis for patients and their treating physicians.

Because of Mammoth Hospital’s remote location and the amount of trauma our physicians treat, having a CT operational at all times is crucial.

During winter storms, the highway to and from Mammoth Lakes can close, resulting in the inability to transfer patients via ambulance. Storms can also limit air transport. “Without a CT, we are like a fish out of water,” says Dr. Craig Burrows, Hospitalist.

“Crucial is an understatement. I rarely operate without a CT scan.”

– Fru Bahiraei, M.D., General Surgeon

Our new CT will be able to deliver an image to a doctor in about two minutes, versus seven or eight minutes, which can make a difference in saving a patient’s life.