Full-Service Outpatient Facility Features Cutting-Edge Technologies

The North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System today opened a $8.5 million, 15,700-square-foot Diagnostic Imaging Center in Lake Success at the health system's Center for Advanced Medicine, which specializes in outpatient surgical and medical services.

Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System, cuts the ribbon at the opening of the Center for Diagnostic Imaging. From left to right: Co-director Jason Naidich, MD; Lawrence Smith, MD, the health system's chief academic officer and senior vice president of academic affairs; Cynthia Kubala, executive director of the Center for Advanced Medicine; Mitchell Goldman, MD, chairman, Department of Radiology at North Shore University Hospital and LIJ; the center's co-director, Eran Ben-Levi, MD; Christopher Palestro, MD, LIJ's chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine; and Josephine Rini, MD of LIJ.

The new imaging center is the health system's largest, full-service radiology facility of its kind. It features the most advanced imaging modalities, including a 16-slice computed tomography (CT), Long Island's only SPECT/CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, combined PET/CT scanning, ultrasound; X-ray radiography, nuclear medicine, and special procedures such as biopsies.

The center's imaging capabilities support a wide range of diagnostic goals, including primary diagnosis, tracking treatment progress, pre-surgical testing and post-operative analysis. Utilizing the latest information technology, the center is equipped with a picture archiving communications system, or PACS, which allows physicians to share digital information with various members of the treatment team, both onsite and at remote locations.

Physicians will have web-based access to digital images so they can view images from their offices or homes. "By combining cutting-edge technology and integrating our radiology clinicians and services from North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) and LIJ Medical Center to the Diagnostic Imaging Center, we have created the optimum outpatient setting for our patients to get the highest quality tests and care," said Michael J. Dowling, North Shore-LIJ?s president and chief executive officer. "There is no other facility like this in the region."

The Diagnostic Imaging Center is the third outpatient facility to open at the Center for Advanced Medicine, which occupies about 450,000 square feet of space for an array of outpatient services.

Last June, North Shore-LIJ opened a $13 million, 23,000 square-foot Ambulatory Surgery Center, and in February, the 37,000 square-foot, $17 million Monter Cancer Center opened. The complex is the only facility of its size and scope on Long Island and Queens specializing in ambulatory services. There are numerous benefits of the new imaging center for both patients and physicians, said Mitch Goldman, MD, chairman of the Department of Radiology of NSUH and LIJ. "Because of the proximity to the Monter Cancer Center, we will be able to work more closely with our colleagues in oncology, which will involves us more directly in patient care. And, because digital images are stored electronically, we will be able to transmit images to physicians in a range of disciplines outside the center, more efficiently and quickly."

Staff of North Shore-Long Island (LIJ) Health System showcase the Diagnostic Imaging Center?s new PET-CT scanner. From left to right:Mitch Goldman, MD, chairman, Department of Radiology, North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) and LIJ; the center's co-directors, Eran Ben-Levi, MD and Jason Naidich, MD; Josephine Rini, MD of LIJ; Christopher Palestro, LIJ's chief of the Division of Nuclear Medicine; and John Aloisio, administrative director, NSUH Department of Radiology.

In addition to state-of-the-art technologies and a spacious, comfortable facility, patients are expected to be able to make quicker appointments, either the same day or the next day. All imaging studies will be interpreted the same day by a board-certified radiologist, with advanced subspecialty fellowship training. In 2007, the Center for Advance Medicine plans to add a new men's center, which will house urology services of NSUH and LIJ, consolidate breast imaging services of the two hospitals and relocate LIJ's Division of Hematology/Oncology to the Monter Cancer Center. For more information, call the Diagnostic Imaging Center at (516) 734-8600.

Media Contact:
Betty Olt
bolt@nshs.edu

Terry Lynam
tlynam@nshs.edu
(516) 465-2600