Comparing the patient experience between a novel 360° gamma camera (VERITON-CT) and a conventional dual head gamma camera

Abstract

Aims: To explore whether the novel 360° gamma camera design of VERITON-CT adversely affects the rate of scan non-completion due to claustrophobia or other patient experience factors, when compared to a standard dual-headed gamma camera. Methods: Single centre prospective study of all nuclear medicine studies on either of two gamma cameras; the VERITON-CT (Spectrum Dynamics Medical) and Discovery NM/CT 670 (GE Healthcare). It was recorded whether the patient had completed the scan as protocoled or, due to claustrophobia, had a shortened scan or no scan. The patients were also offered a patient experience questionnaire, with domains of comfort, scan time, scan noise and claustrophobia assessed using a five-point Likert scale. Results: Over a four-month period, there were 296 patients scanned on the Discovery scanner and 274 patients scanned on the VERITON-CT scanner. There was a scan non-completion rate, due to claustrophobia, of 1.35 % for the Discovery and 1.46 % for the VERITON-CT scanner. 354/570 (62%) of all patients involved returned their questionnaires. There was no statistical difference between the responses for comfort, scan time, scan noise and feelings of claustrophobia. Conclusion: The study provides evidence that the novel 360° gamma camera design of VERITON-CT does not lead to a significantly increased scan failure rate due to claustrophobia and there is no change in the subjective experience for patients.

Keywords: Camera-Based High Energy Imaging; Claustrophobia; Discovery 670; Gamma Camera; Patient Experience; Quality Assurance; SPECT/CT; VERITON-CT.

Graphical abstract

FIGURE 1.

Conventional Anger camera (left) vs. Veriton-CT scanner (right), with 360° detector design. (Courtesy of Spectrum Dynamics Medical.)

FIGURE 2.

Questionnaire on experience of nuclear imaging patient.

FIGURE 3.

Spread of survey responses across 4 experience factors.