Part of the Sussex Cancer Fund ethos is to find solutions to improve patient comfort and where possible find more efficient treatment procedures. Sussex Cancer Fund recently purchased an *EGFR machine which will reduce some waiting time during some appointments at the Sussex Cancer Centre. *eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) is a measure of how well kidneys are working.
A large proportion of patients undergoing radiotherapy must undergo a CT planning scan with contrast. When a patient has a CT scan there are certain tissues like blood vessels and lymph nodes that look very similar on the scan, by having a CT scan with contrast, the delicate blood vessels are highlighted and can be avoided ensuring the safety of the procedure.
Some patients may not be suitable for a Contrast Scan and in the past, patients would arrive at the department and await an urgent blood test, leading to a wait of 1-2 hours for the results. Only after obtaining the test results could a decision be made regarding the use of contrast, allowing the patient to proceed with the CT scan. However, this process often resulted in prolonged waiting times for patients, which led to additional complications such as medication and pain management, further delaying the procedure.
The implementation of the EGFR Machine, a rapid and straightforward blood test, has significantly improved the situation. Within a few minutes, healthcare professionals can determine whether it is safe to proceed with a contrast-enhanced scan. As a result, patients now spend less time in the department during their CT appointments. Moreover, the availability of a dedicated staff member to draw blood is no longer necessary, providing greater flexibility in scheduling appointments, accommodating patients’ work and other commitments. The introduction of this advancement has been made possible thanks to the support of the Sussex Cancer Fund.
The EGFR machine cost around £4.500 and will significantly improve efficiency and waiting times at some scan appointments
