Digirad recently spoke with Julius Davis, ARRT(N), CNMT, about his experience with Digirad gamma cameras. Mr. Davis has over five years of experience as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Within those five years, Julius has extensively worked with the Digirad Ergo and Digirad Cardius gamma cameras in a mobile inpatient setting and mobile outpatient setting.
After gaining his initial experience with the Ergo at a Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Davis joined a mobile provider that performed a variety of procedures using the Ergo throughout Southern California.
Using the Digirad Ergo Nuclear Gamma Camera
The company works in acute care facilities and transports the Ergo gamma camera to facilities that do not have in-house imaging capabilities. Julius travels with a co-worker and brings the camera into the facility to provide HIDA scans, Bone Scans, GI Bleed imaging, Gastric Emptying studies, and more. Each morning they would perform Q/A and Q/C, inventory all equipment, overview the daily schedule, secure the camera and equipment in the vehicle, then safely travel throughout the Greater Los Angeles area.
As the primary camera used by his team, Davis has thousands of hours of experience with the Ergo. “I love the Ergo. The image quality is amazing, and I can use the swivel head capabilities to obtain various angular static images without moving the patient,” said Davis.
The mobility of the Ergo was a key benefit for technologists; as Davis stated, “I would take this camera into the ICU, PCU, and Emergency Department, and into inpatient rooms with ease. In my opinion, all hospitals should have the Ergo.”
Traveling to Underserved Markets
One important aspect of mobile imaging with the Ergo is that Davis can travel to underserved markets. Many medical facilities located within improvised areas of Los Angeles do not have nuclear imaging cameras. By delivering a mobile solution, Julius was able to bring this life-saving technology to patients who needed it the most.
“I performed many of these exams in facilities that did not have funding to support a Nuclear Medicine Department. Delivering my craft in areas such as Compton, Long Beach, East Los Angeles, and others fulfilled my desire to serve selflessly,” said Davis.
An Investment in the Patient
The portability of the Ergo has enabled a whole new way of providing nuclear gamma imaging. By leveraging this technology from Digirad, Julius can help facilities without a nuclear camera treat patients in their own neighborhood.
Davis summarized his viewpoint by stating, “Ergo is the way to go; it’s an investment for the patient.” At Digirad, we are proud to help technologists like Julius Davis deliver this technology to all patients who need nuclear medicine imaging procedures.
