Scanner ends risky dash for sick children

By MARTIN JOHNSTON

Debra Vatuvei was the first patient to be slid into the long-awaited CT scanner at the Starship children's hospital yesterday.

Staff hailed the $1.7 million machine, which will end the trip through the tunnel to nearby Auckland Hospital for youngsters needing a CT scan. It was a risky ride for many patients who were very sick or in pain.

"Some of these children are extremely unstable and even moving them puts them at risk," said a Starship radiologist, Dr Russell Metcalfe.

A CT scanner is a computer-controlled x-ray machine which produces images of "slices" of the body.

The Starship machine is expected to perform more than 3000 scans a year.

Ten-year-old Debra, from Otara, was being checked for any recurrence of cancer in her lymph nodes after a previous treatment.

She and her family will be told the results in a fortnight.

Yesterday's scan was requested after doctors became concerned about her lymph nodes while removing Debra's appendix.

Debra said the tests and operations she had undergone were scary, but the staff had taken good care of her.

The money for the scanner project was raised by the Starship Foundation, but at the last minute the New Zealand dollar dropped in value, leaving a $200,000 shortfall.

A donation from actress Lucy Lawless and her husband, Rob Tapert, helped to bridge the gap.

The ASB Charitable Trust gave $900,000 towards the scanner.

The hospital, which is short of radiology staff, hopes the high-tech machine will help to attract new staff.