On April 24, Yass Valley Council approved a medical imaging centre Development Application as part of the Yass Valley Development Contributions Plan 2018.
The applicants were delighted to hear the approval, and released a statement announcing they were pleased with the result.
“This is a major milestone for the project and means we are now one big step closer to opening Yass’s own local medical imaging centre for the community,” they said.
“Our focus now turns to finalising the engineering plans required to meet the DA conditions and secure Construction Certification.
“We would like to sincerely thank Yass Valley Council for its ongoing engagement and support throughout this process. We have greatly appreciated the constructive way Council has worked with us as this important community project has progressed.
“Thank you as well to everyone in the community and St Augustine’s Parish who have supported and encouraged this vision. We look forward to sharing further updates as we move towards construction.”
Yass Valley Imaging aims to bring world-class medical imaging to the town to reduce patient travel and improve patient outcomes through affordable and high-quality diagnostics.
Medical imaging provides visual representations of the inside of the body for clinical analysis and medical intervention. Here is a breakdown of what it can provide, from diagnosis to treatment guidance.
Imaging reveals abnormalities that cannot be seen or felt externally.
Fractures and Bone Issues: X-rays clearly show broken bones, dislocations, arthritis, and bone thinning (osteoporosis).
Tumors and Masses: CT, MRI, and ultrasound can locate tumours (cancerous or benign), cysts, or nodules in organs like the lungs, liver, brain, or breast.
Infection and Inflammation: MRI and CT can detect pneumonia (in lungs), abscesses (pockets of pus), or inflammation of tissues like the appendix (appendicitis).
Blood Vessel Problems: CT angiography (CTA) or MR angiography (MRA) can detect aneurysms (bulging vessel), clots (DVT/pulmonary embolism), or narrowed arteries.
Imaging acts as a “live map” for doctors performing minimally invasive procedures.
Using ultrasound or CT, a doctor can watch a needle enter a suspicious mass to take a tissue sample, avoiding surgery. A 3D CT or MRI scan allows the surgeon to study the exact anatomy before cutting, reducing surprises (e.g., mapping brain tumours or complex bone fractures).
Imaging guides the insertion of feeding tubes, drainage catheters, or stents into blood vessels or organs.
In cancer treatment, CT scans precisely map the tumour location so that radiation beams target the cancer while sparing healthy tissue.
Imaging tracks how a disease or treatment is progressing over time.
Serial CT or MRI scans can show if a tumour is shrinking (good response to chemo), growing (resistance), or stable.
Regular scans monitor the progression of conditions like multiple sclerosis (new brain lesions) or emphysema.
These are just some of the things a medical imaging centre can provide.
Jack Murray
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.