Medical Building and Family Resources
Let There Be Light
Upon entering the lobby of the Frank Gehry-designed Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, visitors notice it is filled with natural light. This touch is symbolic of the optimism that fuels the work of our medical team – optimism that we can improve patients’ lives and that we will someday have cures for the diseases that ravage the human brain.
Even in the rooms where our providers see patients, it’s not unusual to find a wall of windows – a refreshing change from the typically windowless, uninspiring exam rooms in many outpatient facilities. With 199 windows, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health has plenty of natural light sources to go around.
Windows on the Brain
Lighting can improve mood, but the primary aim of this center we are proud to support is to improve diagnosis and treatment of disease. To that end, the state-of-the-art facility houses the latest neuroimaging technologies. For example:
- 3 Tesla MRI: You can’t treat what you can’t see. Sophisticated neuroimaging tools allow physicians to pinpoint degenerative brain disorders, bring new precision to clinical trials and advance understanding of brain function.
- PET: Positive Emission Tomography (PET) is a potent weapon for observing metabolic processes in the body. We are at the forefront of experimental PET imaging to screen for the presence of tau proteins, found not only in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients, but in athletes after repeated head trauma. PET is approved for clinical use to screen for amyloid plaques, the characteristic brain changes of Alzheimer’s disease.
Numerous gifts can add up to make a large impact. Collectively, generous donors contributed more than $2 million to help the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health upgrade its imaging capabilities. We invited these philanthropists to see the new machine in action and to thank them for supporting science in the service of excellent patient care. Interested in touring and finding a match with your interests? Contact our philanthropy team.
Twisted a Knee? Wrenched a Shoulder?
Our imaging services aren’t just for brains (though we do have some of the brightest minds in the field interpreting our images). The Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s scanners are available to the community for imaging of all parts of the body.
A Step Toward Stability
Virtual reality treadmill: We’ve also invested in technology for our neurorehabilitation team, which works on gait exercises with patients experiencing cognitive decline. The team has a very cool tool for putting patients with gait impairments through their paces: a treadmill beyond the standard issue at your local gym. This “virtual reality machine” can analyze every aspect of a patient’s gait, from speed to stride length to cadence. It can project visual cues on the walking surface, such as a beach scene that patients must navigate by dodging scattered starfish. It offers a safe environment for patients to work on motor skills that are critical to avoiding falls.
One-Stop Shopping
All these technologies and more are in one location. Enclosed within the steel shell structure that forms the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health are clinical care operations, medical research facilities, and individual and family services.
Whether a patient needs neurological evaluation or ongoing care, imaging, neuropsychological testing, blood work, pharmacy services or neurorehabilitation, it’s all right here for maximum convenience. In addition, patients and caregivers can find on-site education programming and social services.
In this single location in downtown Las Vegas, we dedicate ourselves to delivering everyday excellence for the many individuals who have entrusted their care to us. Download our brochure to learn more.