Southtowns Radiology invests nearly $1 Million in Imaging Upgrades for Patients in Hamburg and Orchard Park

State-of-the-art PET/CT scanner, ultrasound units, and DXA scanners added to outpatient portfolios, and accompany enhancements to breast imaging services and picture archiving systems

HAMBURG, NY January 21, 2022 – Southtowns Radiology ended a strong year and welcomed 2022 with several technology and equipment upgrades, including new medical imaging scanners and software enhancements. The investments, which total close to $1 million, are fully implemented and available to healthcare providers and patients seeking diagnostic and screening services at both the Hamburg and Orchard Park based outpatient offices.

“With this new equipment, we can continue to offer the highest quality radiology services to patients who live and work in the Southtowns,” said Asha Ziembiec, MD, medical director for Southtowns Radiology. “We believe patients shouldn’t have to travel far for advanced medical studies, including imaging, and we are proud to make investments in our portfolio of devices that supports this belief – and that supports patients who live and work in our communities.”

With implementation throughout the fourth quarter of 2021, Southtowns Radiology is beginning the new year with the following upgrades:

  • Siemens Biograph Horizon PET/CT scanner. This technology offers lower radiation exposure, shortened scanned times, and a radiation therapy planning table for optimized therapy planning and positioning. Additionally, it offers high resolution 4mm lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) crystal elements to support the early detection of smaller lesions as well as improved image quality and lesion detectability with Time of Flight™ technology.
    • Southtowns Radiology offers the only PET/CT scanner in the Southtowns, between the cities of Buffalo and Jamestown, NY. The unit, which was purchased by Alliance Healthcare in partnership with Southtowns Radiology, is mobile and travels to various facilities throughout New York State, allowing it to be a cost effective investment for smaller programs. Currently, scans are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays in West Seneca. Relocation of the scanner to the Orchard Park office is planned for early 2022.
  • Eight Canon Aplio i700 Ultrasound units. Using high-frequency sound waves, these state-of-the-art units are able to penetrate up to 50cm within the body, offering crystal clear images at a deeper depth. The device also offers microvascular imaging technology, which allows radiologists to examine very small vessels and determine adequate blood flow throughout the body. The upgrades also include higher frequency linear transducers, providing the ability to obtain extremely clear breast imaging.
    • Southtowns Radiology offers four ultrasound patient rooms in Orchard Park, and recently opened a fourth room in the practice’s Hamburg office. All eight rooms were equipped with the new technology in late December.
  • Two brand new Hologic Horizon DXA systems with One-PassTM technology. Beyond bone density screenings for the detection and treatment of Osteoporosis, the scanners offer healthcare providers and patients the ability to identify vertebral fractures with double resolution, find potential incomplete atypical femur fractures, and provide advanced body composition assessments.
    • Southtowns Radiology offers DEXA scans in both Hamburg and Orchard Park, with Saturday appointments available.
  • Complementary addition of the Tyrer-Cuzick version 8 breast cancer risk assessment tool during standard screening mammography exams. Through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), our Women’s Care breast imaging services can help identify women who would benefit from additional screening, such as breast ultrasound and breast MRI, as well as those who are candidates for genetic counseling and genomic testing.
    • Southtowns Radiology Women’s Care offers 3D mammography in both Hamburg and Orchard Park. All breast imaging includes in-person, same-day results for diagnostic mammograms and most screening exams. Personalized lifetime and 10-year risk assessments, which incorporate breast density scores, will also be provided. These enhancements allow patients and their healthcare providers to have greater understanding around mapping an individualized plan for early detection of breast cancer.
  • Upgraded IT servers for the practice’s Picture Archiving System (PACS). Enhancements allow healthcare providers to easily access and view images, compare previous studies, and print radiology physician reports quickly from within their own office.

Southtowns Radiology partners with HEALTHeLINK as the preferred method of providing patient reports to healthcare providers. The practice also offers secure access to most patient imaging and reports for physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers via Phillips cloud-based technology. Patient images are interpreted by a member of more than 20 board-certified radiologists within 48 business hours of the study.

“We feel like these investments allow us to remain at the cutting edge of radiology services,” noted Dr. Ziembiec. “New technologies are significantly changing the landscape of medical care, especially within the field of imaging. We want to make sure we are at the forefront of these opportunities to support patients and providers. But, above all else, we want to continue to put the patient first. We pride ourselves in caring for people, for our communities. We look at things through the lens of ‘Will this help our team find answers quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively?’ If the answer is yes, it’s a worthwhile investment.”

For more information on Southtowns Radiology and the services provided at their outpatient imaging centers, please visit www.SouthtownsRadiology.com. Appointments for imaging services can also be requested online.