News & Announcements

BAYONNE MEDICAL CENTER EXPANDS DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING CAPABILITIES

Latest hospital enhancement allows doctors to diagnose, prescribe treatment and monitor disease in a single procedure

Bayonne, NJ - December [9], 2008 - Continuing its rapid investment in improvement of patient care, Bayonne Medical Center (BMC) today announced it has enhanced its diagnostic imaging capabilities with the addition of a new, state-of the-art PET/CT system, which offers early and highly accurate detection of cancer. This makes BMC the only hospital in Hudson County to provide PET/CT services.

PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography with Computed Tomography) is an imaging procedure that provides physicians with information about the body's chemistry, cell function and exact location of disease. The precise images obtained with PET/CT are different from images obtained from technologies such as CT, MRI or X-ray, with the PET/CT studying body function rather than giving radiological images of anatomy or body structure.

For oncology patients, PET/CT is used to determine the exact location and stage of cancerous tissue and can provide physicians with data necessary to improve treatment regimens and, in some cases, avoid invasive surgeries or unnecessary procedures.

"The PET/CT will have a major impact on our clinical evaluations of cancer patients, and in many cases will enable our physicians to begin treatment earlier and increase the odds for successful patient outcomes," said Dr. Suresh Raina, senior vice president for medical affairs. "This system brings a higher precision of health care to our hospital and, more importantly, to our patients."

Bayonne residents enjoyed a first-hand opportunity to see the new PET/CT scanner and learn how it functions at the Bayonne Medical Center Health Fair, held Sunday, October 19.

"From the outset the new ownership of Bayonne Medical Center committed to significant investment in the hospital to provide the level of patient care deserved by the community," said Daniel Kane, BMC president and chief executive officer. "The acquisition of the PET/CT system allows us to bring high quality and cost-effective health care technology previously available at only larger, distant facilities, right here to Bayonne.

"This improvement is only the latest in a continuing series of enhancements, all intended to make Bayonne Medical Center a premiere community hospital."

About Bayonne Medical Center

Bayonne Medical Center is an acute care, community hospital that provides a range of services to the residents of Bayonne, Jersey City and surrounding communities, including Emergency Department services; Interventional Cardiology services; Oncology; Radiology; Vascular Care; Wound Care; Bariatric Surgery and other services. The new Bayonne Medical Center began operations on February 1, 2008.