Morgan Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 16 to celebrate the addition of the GE Healthcare Aurora SPECT/CT System at the facility. The advanced imaging technology would allow the Madison hospital to diagnose conditions more efficiently and expand its nuclear medicine services.
With the recent investment, Morgan Medical Center is now the second facility in the country to offer the GE Healthcare Aurora SPECT/CT System as part of its healthcare services.
The early morning ceremony included remarks from hospital leadership, GE Healthcare, and Madison Mayor Fred Perriman. Ralph Castillo, CEO of Morgan Medical Center, made the opening remarks, thanking local leaders, GE Healthcare partners, and hospital staff.
“The Aurora SPECT/CT is one of the most advanced imaging systems available, and we are proud to be the second facility in the nation to offer it,” Castillo said. “This technology allows our teams to see more, diagnose earlier, and care better, giving our physicians the ability to detect disease at its earliest stages.”
Castillo said that Morgan Medical Center is “guided by” a goal of “providing world-class healthcare close to home.”
He then introduced the hospital’s imaging center manager, Kim Sitzmann, emphasizing that she is a crucial part of the facility’s efforts in achieving that goal.
“The arrival of the Aurora SPECT/CT represents months of planning, collaboration, and dedication,” Sitzmann said. “This system combines the best of nuclear medicine and CT technology, offering our patients more precise imaging, faster results, and a better overall experience.”
Sitzmann credited the facility’s involved radiologists, nurses, support staff, and technologists for their training efforts and said they worked “countless hours” to ensure the services were effective and safe from the start.
“What excites me most is what this means for our patients. Whether it’s detecting heart disease early, evaluating bone health, or assessing organ function,” Sitzmann said, “this technology gives our physicians clearer answers and our patients greater peace of mind.”
Morgan Medical Center’s imaging medical director, Dr. Josh Blackmon, also made remarks during the ceremony. He emphasized that the new technology will benefit the physicians at MMC, “marking a major leap forward” in caring for patients.
“As a physician, I can say that the addition of the Aurora SPECT/CT marks a major leap forward in how we diagnose and treat our patients,” Blackmon said. “This system allows us to see beyond anatomy; it lets us visualize how organs and tissues are functioning in real time,” Blackmon also emphasized the importance of making resources available to community citizens, which will help prevent the need for further travel for assistance.
“The fusion of nuclear and CT imaging means we can identify disease earlier, plan treatments more precisely, and give our patients answers faster than ever before,” he said. “For our medical team, [this milestone] is about the lives it will impact. It’s about the patient who can get a more precise diagnosis without traveling miles away and the family who can find comfort knowing advanced care is available right here in their community hospital.”
Toward the ceremony’s conclusion, Morgan Medical Center Hospital Authority Chairman John Moore discussed the hospital’s need to serve as a “vital healthcare resource to everyone in Morgan County.” He shared statistics on the facility’s growth since the COVID-19 pandemic, ER services, and numbers within the first few months of this year.
“In just the first eight months of 2025, our gross revenues are already 31% higher than the total of all 12 months of 2022. This is an incredible testament to the hospital’s resilience and the community’s trust in Morgan Medical Center,” Moore said. “In 2024, [our Emergency Department] cared for nearly 11,000 patients, and in 2025, we will have already provided emergency care to over 7,000 patients.”
Moore believes that the numbers accomplished “show the community’s confidence” in Morgan Medical Center.
“Investments like this state-of-the-art imaging system reflect our responsibility to plan strategically for the future and to ensure Morgan Medical remains on the leading edge of technology,” Moore said. “This isn’t just new equipment — it’s a new capability that will enhance early diagnosis, improve patient outcomes, and keep more families close to home for advanced care.”
To conclude the ceremony, Perriman spoke on the impact that the technology would have on Morgan County as a whole. He stated that the imaging technology signifies a “milestone for the city and the county.”
“The addition of the Aurora SPECT/ CT system means our citizens can access world-class imaging and diagnostic care without leaving Madison — that’s both convenient and life-changing. Morgan Medical Center continues to be a valued partner to the City of Madison, enhancing the health, vitality, and economic strength of our community,” the mayor said. “On behalf of the city, congratulations on this incredible achievement, and thank you for your continued dedication to excellence.”