The newest piece of equipment in the Diagnostic Imaging department of Estes Park Health was bought through the generous fundraising campaign of the 2024 Mrs. Rooftop Rodeo candidates.

The ten candidates for Mrs. Rooftop Rodeo raised a record-breaking amount of money. Altogether, these volunteers gathered more than $118,000 to fund a brand-new ultrasound machine for the hospital. This technology will – among other things – help with finding cancers and evaluating treatment.

“The 2024 Mrs. Rooftop Rodeo was extremely successful,” said registered sonographer and radiographer Marcy Kimbro. “They always are in raising the money, making people aware in the community, and now we have yet another state-of-the-art, brand new 2024 ultrasound machine.”

This modality uses sound to produce images of the inside of the body. These images help EPH’s onsite radiologist, Dr. John Knudtson, determine if there is an injury or disease process going on.

“We can capture images of fatty liver disease or kidney stones or gall bladder disease,” Kimbro explained. “We can possibly find cancers like bladder cancer or prostate cancer or breast cancer. We can do a carotid ultrasound to find plaque in the vessels. We can look for reproductive issues in the ovaries, uterus, IUD placements, and many more things.”

Ultrasound technologist Debbie Sells said the old ultrasound machine was not new to begin with and was reaching the end of its life.

“Machines become outdated pretty quickly in this day and age,” Sells stated. “The newer functions on this machine will allow us to offer some new services. This piece of equipment will allow us the detail that it takes us to perform needle aspirations and needle biopsies.”

A trainer from the company that makes the new ultrasound machine was at EPH last week training the three sonographers who will be using it. The applications specialist works for Philips, the company that makes the EPIQ Elite Diagnostic Ultrasound system now in use. She brainstormed with the people who use the machine to add capabilities they need and take away those they don’t need.

The machine is vital in keeping Estes Valley patients from having to drive a long way to get a quick diagnostic test. Now that EPH can perform needle biopsies, local patients can get an appointment – and possibly an answer – more quickly.

Sells pointed out that the most enjoyable part of her job performing ultrasounds is the direct patient interaction.

“We can teach the patient about something they may see on the screen,” she noted. “They want to know what it is. We can describe certain basic functions of the machine. It helps to educate the community as well as make them feel comfortable.”