Two Millennium Gamma Camera Systems (one MPR system and one MG system)
The Nuclear Medicine service had been performing about 150 nuclear medicine studies in Radiology each month with two camera systems. One Millennium MG system was five years old, but the other camera system was 20 years old with very few capabilities. The hospital planned to replace the older machine but was able to negotiate a deal for two cameras for a small additional amount of money. So the older machine has been replaced and an additional camera has been added, bringing the total to three nuclear medicine cameras in Radiology. The new single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) cameras offer three-dimensional imaging.

Nuclear medicine studies look at the function of an organ rather than the anatomy (such as with an X-ray). Children's Hospital performs about 15 different types of nuclear medicine studies of the kidneys, GI system and lungs, as well as many studies of tumors. Some more complicated studies can take up to three hours for a single patient; those studies could only be scheduled at the rate of one per week on the five-year-old camera.

The addition of the third camera and the replacement of the oldest camera will allow Nuclear Medicine staff to perform many more studies than the current 150 per month. The testing backlog was two to three weeks with just two cameras available, so patients needing a study had to wait longer than they should for their studies. With the addition of the third camera, waits for tests are being reduced to just two or three days.

To help children cope with the nuclear medicine tests, the three camera rooms feature colorful animal-themed décor and televisions for children to watch movies on the hospital's in-house entertainment system.

The Giving Tree
Families will again have an opportunity at this year's Fantasy of Trees to give just a little something back to Children's Hospital for the holidays – and receive a recognition ornament for their tree at home to signify their holiday contribution. Small items like Popsicles for Emergency Department patients, diapers for premature infants, disposable medical supplies used hospital-wide to aid in keeping germs from spreading, toys and plush animals and batteries for toys in Children's Hospital playrooms will be available for families to "purchase" and show a sick child they care.

Fantasy of Trees visitors have frequently asked the event's organizers how else they can help Children's Hospital during the holidays, and beginning with the 2007 event, the Giving Tree provides a way for families to celebrate the spirit of giving during the holidays. At the 2010 event, Fantasy of Trees guests will be invited to make a cash donation of $5, $10 or $25, and Children's Hospital will purchase the needed items.

With the assistance of sponsor Regions Bank, this area allows Fantasy of Trees visitors an easy way to directly support children who are patients at Children's Hospital with small things that are needed for their recovery—and have a reminder of their contribution to take to their home for the holidays. The Giving Tree at Fantasy of Trees will feature items in $5, $10 and $25 categories that are needed by Children's Hospital patients, including:

$5 "gifts"
• Popsicles for Emergency Department patients
• Batteries for toys in hospital playrooms
• "Weepee" diapers for premature infants
• Crayons and coloring books for all patients
• Children's books for all waiting areas
• New underwear and socks (all sizes) for emergency patient needs
• Individually wrapped foods and snacks (non-perishable) for family kitchens
• Flavored pacifiers for newborns throughout hospital units
• Disposable blood pressure cuffs for use throughout hospital (to reduce spread of infection)
• Toys for patients

$10 "gifts"
• Board games for hospital playrooms
• "Care bags" for parents of children in critical care units (bags include needed travel-size toiletries they didn't have time to bring from home)
• Phone cards for use by hospital patients to call relatives about their condition
• Children's pajamas (so patients can sleep in "their own" pajamas while in the hospital and then take home with them)
• New sweatpants and T-shirts (all sizes) for emergency family needs
• Disposable stethoscopes for use throughout the hospital to keep infections from spreading
• Hemostat scissors/cutters for use throughout the hospital, especially in surgery and in the Emergency Department
• Disposable instrument packages (to keep infections from spreading)
• Disposable heating pads (to keep infections from spreading)
• Plush animals or toys for patients

$25 "gifts"
• "Josh the Dog" plush animal and book sets for outpatient surgery patients
• Pizzas for oncology patients and their families (children with cancer and their families can't go out to a "regular" restaurant because of the possibility of infection)
• Gift cards for the Birthday Box for children who have to be in the hospital on their birthday
• Magazine subscriptions for waiting rooms
• Music CDs and movie DVDs (G, PG and PG-13 only) to use as gifts to patients during hospital stays (may be put in the Birthday Box)
• Hand-held electronic games for "loan" to patients during hospital stays

For more details on the Giving Tree at this year's Fantasy of Trees event, call the Children's Hospital Community Relations Office at (865) 541-8166.