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Vaughan Regional Medical Center announced Tuesday the opening of a new catheterization laboratory on Tuesday.

The advanced digital X-ray imaging system from GE will give clinicians a chance to evaluate the heart and see detailed, real-time images of a patient’s cardiac anatomy during procedures that require exacting precision.

The $2.5 million,  963 square-foot lab features The Allia ™ IGS 530 system from GE Healthcare that helps physicians at Vaughan Regional treat a variety of medical disorders including diseases of the heart and blood vessels and heart attacks.

“Our new cath lab is an important investment by our hospital into our community’s health,” VRMC CEO David McCormack said. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country, and for people suffering from a severe cardiac episode, every second counts.

“The faster patients can get access to life-saving interventions – and this cath lab facilitates such interventions ‒ the greater the chances of survival and recovery with minimal heart damage. Response time is critical to cardiac events, and this cath lab at Vaughan Regional gives Selma-area residents a potentially life-saving resource just minutes away.”

Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat coronary artery and structural heart disease. The imaging system provides the advanced capability for visualization during these life-saving procedures, placing a tiny wire mesh tube (stent) in a patient’s artery to sustain or recover blood flow. Cardiologists can measure pressures within the heart, see how well the heart valves and heart chambers work, evaluate an enlarged heart, and check for heart defects.

The Allia IGS 5 is an innovative laser-guided imaging system designed to support the most complex cases with greater precision and confidence.

“It is critical for us to see the anatomy very clearly while guiding catheters, stents and other medical devices to areas needing treatment,” VRMC Dr. Steven Allyn said. “The high-quality imaging produced by this lab enables our staff to perform these procedures with accuracy and confidence.”

VRMC has an outstanding reputation for its cardiology services, earning accreditation as a Chest Pain Center from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) three months ago.