THE new MRI scanner at Furness General Hospital (FGH) will start receiving its first patients on Monday following a £900,000 investment.

University of Morecambe Bay Hospitals Trust (UHMBT) said the Siemens scanner offers the latest technology, and was the 'first choice' replacement for the previous scanner which had been used for ten years.

Trust bosses said the new machine was installed at the Barrow hospital 'following a rigorous evaluation by the radiographers and radiologists who will be using it'.

The scanner provides better image detail, allowing for more accurate diagnosis, and improved software means the potential for a wider range of examinations to be performed. It also offers a better experience for patients, with features such as:

  • Reduced noise when in operation;
  • A wider ‘bore’, making it less claustrophobic;
  • A new sky design ceiling which helps reduce anxiety; and
  • Waiting and changing facilities in the scanner area have also been upgraded to improve patient comfort and efficiency in the department.

Chris Whiteside, UHMBT's head of radiology, said: “The previous scanner had been in the hospital for the last ten years, so we are thrilled that we are fully opening our brand new scanner at FGH on Monday.

“This new scanner not only gives our clinicians better image quality for diagnoses, it also offers a much more relaxing and comfortable experience to patients. Having an MRI scan can be daunting for some patients so ensuring that we can reduce any anxiety as much as possible was high on the wish list for us when we picked the replacement scanner.

Work has been ongoing to install the scanner since October 2015. During the installation a mobile scanner has been permanently situated at FGH to maintain the service, with additional support provided by scanners at Westmorland General Hospital and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Mr Whiteside said: “We’d like to take this opportunity to thank patients for their patience while we replaced the scanner, and we hope those patients who use the new scanner from next week notice a positive difference.”