31 October 2017
Two new state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners have been unveiled at Kent and Canterbury Hospital as part of a £4m investment by East Kent Hospitals.
The scanners which are housed in a new purpose-built unit will produce higher quality images for doctors and cut patients’ waiting times.
MRIs take detailed images of the inside of almost every part of the body. Doctors use the scan results to help diagnose conditions, plan treatments and assess how effective previous treatment has been.
The new machines provide faster scans and will particularly benefit patients with conditions such as an abnormally excessive curvature of the spine (kyphosis) and respiratory problems.
They will also allow patients to have a greater range of scans locally, and support the Trust in improving the service to those patients with – or suspected to have – cancer.
East Kent Hospitals’ Radiology General Manager, Paul French, said: “These new scanners really are a wonderful addition to the services we already provide, and the new unit as a whole will help us with faster scanning times and high quality images that some of today’s complex medical investigations require.
“This is an exciting development that will help us give even better care for patients.”
One of the scanners is a replacement for the previous one which was located on site – the other is an extra MRI scanner – twice as powerful.
An MRI scan is a painless and safe procedure. The scans don't involve exposing the body to X-ray radiation, ensuring that patients who may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of radiation, such as pregnant women, can use them if necessary.
