Cuero Regional Hopsital | Connect | Spring 2020

cuerohospital.org 3 New 3T MRI scanner offers better images and greater patient comfort When people who are on dialysis for kidney problems get sick or injured and have to be admitted to a hospital, they can’t just skip their regular dialysis treatments. They need to continue receiving dialysis while they’re in the hospital. Thanks to a new partnership with Davita Victoria Acute Dialysis, Cuero Regional Hospital (CRH) now provides inpatient dialysis to those who need it. This means that dialysis patients and their families can stay closer to home should they ever need a hospital stay, says Judy Krupala, RN, MSN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer at CRH. “These patients don’t want to travel, because they don’t feel well anyway,” Krupala says. “We want our patients to be able to receive care here in our community. That’s what we’re here for.” A special service Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease). In kidney failure, damaged kidneys are no longer able to remove excess water and waste. Dialysis treatment does some of this crucial work for the kidneys. There are different types of dialysis. CRH offers hemodialysis, which uses a machine to filter the blood and return it to the body. Board-certified nephrologist Young Du, MD, oversees inpatient dialysis services at CRH. Specially trained Davita nurses administer and monitor the dialysis treatments and provide education to patients and caregivers. The new service fills a key need in the community. On average, about five people per month require dialysis during a hospital stay, Krupala notes. Prior to the Davita partnership, such patients would typically be transferred to another facility outside of the area that could meet their dialysis needs. Thankfully, that’s no longer necessary. The better to see you with Inpatient dialysis Keeping kidney patients close to home How do you uncover kidney disease before it causes harm? Get tested. Your doctor can check your kidney function using two simple tests. Don’t forget about this crucial piece of MRI prep! Learn why metals and MRIs don’t mix at cueroregionalhospital.org/mrimetal . If a doctor needs to get a better picture of what’s going on inside your body, they may order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. It provides detailed views of internal organs, soft tissues, bones and other structures. The clearer those views, the easier it is to make an accurate diagnosis. Cuero Regional Hospital (CRH) now has a state-of- the-art 3T MRI scanner that provides the most detailed imaging available in clinical use, according to Tyler Lemke, RT(R), CT, MR, Director of Radiology at CRH. “Typically a scanner this powerful is only available in major cities,” Lemke says. The new 3T MRI allows radiologists at CRH to do different types of examinations and high-resolution studies that they couldn’t do before. “The scanner improves the imaging capabilities for small musculoskeletal structures, as well as for organs, such as the eyes, ears, heart and prostate gland,” says Bruce Tharp, MD, a board-certified radiologist at CRH. “Being able to offer this level of studies at a rural hospital is a huge win for both patients and physicians.” In addition to providing clearer images, the new 3T MRI is equipped with a larger bore—the tube where patients are scanned—which can help patients who are claustrophobic feel less anxious. The larger bore also allows the scanner to accommodate people weighing up to 550 pounds. Finally, for area women, the 3T MRI offers a special benefit: Women who are at high risk for breast cancer and need to have a breast MRI can now do so at CRH with the new scanner.