Lagina Plumbing Helps Create Brain Scan Suite at Froedtert

Nov. 14, 2008 – A new suite to house sophisticated brain mapping technology has been created at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Wauwatosa, with Lagina Plumbing of Milwaukee assisting in the construction process.

The project was Lagina’s first as a subcontractor for ABCO Building Corp. of Brookfield, Wis.

“We were extremely happy to be involved in this very important remodeling project at Froedtert, and to be able to serve a new customer, ABCO Building Corp.,” said Jim Lagina, owner of the commercial plumbing company. Work on health care facilities is an area of expertise for Lagina Plumbing.

The new suite at Froedtert will be used for magnetoencephalography, commonly known as MEG – a non-invasive measurement of brain activity. Froedtert purchased an Elekta Neuromag for the suite.

Non-invasive Brain Scan

With the MEG system from Elekta installed, neurosurgeons, neurologists and those in related fields will be able to non-invasively record human brain activity in real time, better and more accurately, according to Elekta.

MEG technology is regarded as the most efficient method for tracking brain activity at millisecond resolution. Compared to EEG technology, MEG has uniquely accurate localization capabilities. Other technologies, for example Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), provide only anatomical or metabolic information; whereas MEG is a direct measure of neuronal electric activity.

When complemented with MRI, MEG increases the ability to understand brain activity and to improve treatment of functional disorders and, in particular, epilepsy, the company said.

First for Wisconsin

“We look forward to soon becoming the site of the first whole-head magnetoencephalography lab in the state,” says Elizabeth Ragalie, director of the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Neurosciences Center. “We intend to use the MEG in our epilepsy program as a powerful new tool for pre-surgical planning. The non-invasive and fast measurement capability of the technology is well suited to the high-quality patient care and advancement of scientific discovery that we strive to achieve here at Froedtert.”

Ragalie went on to say, “Furthermore, we plan to launch an ambitious research program in conjunction with the Medical College of Wisconsin, which will make use of the unique temporal resolution of MEG technology. We chose the Elekta Neuromag MEG system because its combination of sensitive detectors, robust environmental noise cancellation and versatile software was deemed best able to meet the stringent demands of our users.”

About Lagina Plumbing:

Southeastern Wisconsin construction and development companies rely on Lagina Plumbing for innovative, top-notch commercial plumbing service provided on time. Lagina Plumbing is the resource for plumbing for new construction, renovations or upgrades, and is highly skilled at overcoming permitting challenges. Along with highly experienced plumbers and staff, Lagina Plumbing employs the latest in technology, including site tools such as Total Station technology, 3D Auto-CAD, and advanced pre-fabrication in a state-of-the-art facility. And Lagina Plumbing can help contractors obtain LEED points when building "green" due to the company’s thorough knowledge of products and practices that qualify for LEED. General contractors, building owners and developers benefit from the “Lagina Approach” that gets projects done more efficiently and quickly without sacrificing quality.

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Contact = Jim Lagina, Lagina Plumbing, 414-645-7527

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