New Imaging System at St. Luke’s Health-Sugar Land Produces Higher-Quality, 3-D Images with Less Radiation

Sugar Land is one of two hospitals in the area to use the Innova IGS 6 bi-plane system

HOUSTON, TX (September 1, 2021) – Health care providers at St. Luke’s Health-Sugar Land Hospital can now perform critical procedures with the assistance of higher-quality, three-dimensional images, thanks to new technology that works more efficiently and emits less radiation than a typical X-ray machine.

The hospital has performed a half-dozen complex procedures since mid-August with the help of the Innova IGS 6 bi-plane system, which assists when doctors need clear and precise images of an affected area. The bi-plane machine rotates 240 degrees to provide a three-dimensional image from multiple angles that is clearer than an X-ray.

“This benefits everyone,” said Joshua Nguyen, cath lab technologist, St. Luke’s Health-Sugar Land Hospital. ”It allows the physician to get better images and takes away the guesswork. The bi-plane is an exceptional tool that allows us to maintain high-quality patient care during long and complicated procedures without exposing the staff and, most importantly, the patient to high levels of radiation.”

The bi-plane machine produces less-pixelated images and doesn’t overheat like an X-ray machine, allowing it to be used for longer periods. This makes it especially useful during long and complex procedures, Nguyen said. The technology can be used in a variety of procedures, including pulmonary vein isolation and lumbar punctures and repairs. The hospital has used the bi-plane to support a number of successful heart procedures.

“We can do the same procedures without the limits of an X-ray machine,” Nguyen said. 

About St. Luke’s Health – Texas Division

St. Luke’s Health is a fully-integrated network that provides care to the communities in Greater Houston, East Texas, and the Brazos Valley through 16 acute care hospitals and over 270 access points including numerous urgent care centers, freestanding emergency departments, and clinics conveniently located across the region. With a team of 11,000 employees and caregivers and more than 5,000 physicians, St. Luke’s Health is dedicated to a mission of enhancing community health through high-quality, cost-effective care. A joint venture with Baylor College of Medicine, St. Luke’s Health operates Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, a leading academic health center with quaternary care and advanced specialists. St. Luke’s Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. CommonSpirit was created in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. Learn more at StLukesHealth.org.