Pineville Community Health Center recently installed a new 160 Slice CT Scanner from United Imaging and the machine has already demonstrated its life-saving capabilities to X-Ray Technician Paula Downey.

“I was a test dummy. I volunteered because my son passed away three years ago from a massive heart attack and heart problems run in our family,” Downey said. “Primarily, I was healthy and didn’t have any symptoms or anything like that. When the test scores came back for the series of test patients, my score was high.”

The calcium scores showed that Downey had over 90 percent blockage in an artery in the back of her heart. It’s a condition known as the “widow maker” because when that artery gets 100 percent blocked it often causes instant death with no chance of resuscitation.

“If I had started into a heart attack, the surgeon said that they could not have saved me. I didn’t have any symptoms. My arms hurt but I counted that out because of a fall I had.” said Downey.

Downey was sent over to Tennova Hospital in Knoxville where Dr. Michael Barry (Dr. Neal Barry’s son) looked at the scans from PCHC and was able to see she needed a stent as soon as possible.

Downey said that once the stent was put in she could feel tapping on her heart then all of a sudden her arms didn’t hurt and she could breathe deeper.

Hillary Partin, the head of PCHC’s Radiology Department, said the new CT scanner was the most advanced one that is currently in use. United Imaging will be sending other technicians to PCHC for training on how to use the scanner.

For local patients it means their doctors now have access to state of the art imaging.

“This is the best preventative measure you can take when it comes to heart problems. You can have the scan done at any age. You just need to have your doctor send in the order to us and we can take care of you.” Partin explained.

The scanner also does dental scans, low dose chest screenings, carotid analysis, CTA runoff, CTA of the head, and routine CT scans.

“God has blessed me and He has blessed us with this piece of equipment,” Downey said. “This is going to help the community more than anyone knows. We are moving forward in the right direction.”