Iraq receives first photon-counting CT scanners for public hospitals

BAGHDAD — Iraq has received its first three photon-counting CT scanners, bringing one of the world’s newest computed tomography technologies into the country’s public healthcare system, the Ministry of Health announced Saturday.

The ministry said the first shipment of three scanners had arrived and been unloaded at central warehouses ahead of distribution to hospitals.

According to the ministry, the scanners will go to health directorates in Najaf, Nineveh, Basra and Dhi Qar, as well as Baghdad Medical City. They will also be installed at Ibn al-Bitar Specialized Hospital for Cardiac Surgery, Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Ghazi al-Hariri Hospital for Specialized Surgeries.

The ministry said the technology produces higher-resolution images that improve the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung conditions and bone disorders while reducing the need for additional examinations.

Photon-counting CT scanners are among the latest advances in medical imaging, using detectors that measure individual X-ray photons to produce sharper images and more detailed diagnostic information than conventional CT systems. The technology has been adopted by a growing number of healthcare systems worldwide in recent years.

The ministry said the new scanners are meant to strengthen diagnostic services and support healthcare infrastructure at the receiving hospitals.