High-tech scanner guides neurosurgeons during operations

HASTINGS, Neb. — A Hastings College graduate is bringing neurosurgery to Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings, and he's also bringing new technology.

Neurosurgeon Scott Bell tells visitors all about the intraoperative CT scanner - it's a CT scan done right there, right before surgery.

Diagnostic quality images are stored, helping the surgeon's instruments navigate to right where a tumor needs to be removed.

"This piece of equipment that we have is the first in Nebraska, so this intraoperative scanning capability that we have is the first of its kind in Nebraska which is becoming more and more widespread," Bell said.

"Starting the neurosurgery program here we worked with them very closely to establish the right equipment, put together the right programming teams and personnel to do the right job for neurosurgery," Bell said.

Bell said this type of technology means better brain and spine surgeries including more precise and better outcomes, making it a must-have for the Hastings College graduate wanting to bring the best to central Nebraska.

"This better allows for minimum- invasive surgery better brain surgeries in the sense of resecting tumors or finding things in the brain that show up on scans that you don’t necessarily see, they blend the brain otherwise," Bell said.

The Image guided-surgery system has infrared cameras and monitors to direct the surgeon, making it as innovative as it gets in the medical field.