Putting an Imaging System at Mount Everest

Just in case you feel the need to climb the world’s highest mountain, your advanced medical care just got a lot closer.

Rochester, New York-based Carestream Health has installed an imaging system that medical personnel can use to diagnose injuries and determine if someone needs to go to the closest hospital.

According to the company, “Capital Enterprises, a Carestream distributor, transported and installed a Carestream Vita Flex CR System that provides imaging services to 8,000 local residents as well as mountaineers, Sherpas and others who support those who dare to climb Mount Everest.”

“The Kunde hospital is located 24.6 kilometers (15.3 miles) from Mount Everest Base Camp. The imaging system was transported by plane to Lukla, Nepal, which is ranked as the world’s deadliest airport due to its high elevation and unforgiving terrain.”

“From there porters carried the X-ray equipment on their backs for 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) to the hospital, which is staffed and operated by local physicians and nurses…. The Carestream Vita Flex CR system is used by medical staff to capture digital X-ray images of shoulders and extremities that have been broken or sprained; the head and neck area to diagnose sprains or concussions; as well as chest exams that may indicate a patient has pneumonia, altitude sickness, or evidence of a heart attack or other serious medical conditions.”

“These imaging studies are essential to diagnosing diseases and injuries to climbers, Sherpas and other workers at base camp. The images are available in minutes and physicians decide if a patient can be treated at the hospital or must be transported to Kathmandu by helicopter or airplane,” said Charlie Hicks, Carestream’s General Manager of Global X-ray Solutions.

Asked what led to this interesting development, Hicks told OTW, “The regions needed to have a dependable device that could deliver X-ray images in minutes for patient diagnosis; our Vita Flex Computed Radiography device was selected based on its size, serviceability and dependability.”

“The delivery of the system, from arriving in Lukla airport to the 30km hike through the mountainous terrain to get the device to Kunde Hospital was the most challenging. Setting up the device and getting it operational is quick and easy.”