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New imaging scanners for BMI Kings Oak and Cavell hospitals
01 February 2012
David Henderson, Executive Director of BMI The Kings Oak and Cavell Hospitals has this month welcomed the delivery of a new state of the art MRI scanner. The new equipment, a GE Optima MR450w open bore MRI scanner, will form the centre piece of the hospital’s new £1.7million imaging department and will create six new jobs in the local Enfield community.
The MRI scanner, which weighs the same as a double-decker bus, was crane-lifted into its final position on 18 January. The scanner will allow clinicians at the hospital to significantly expand the range of diagnostic services available to the local community. Unlike conventional MRI scanners, the open bore scanner does not require the patient’s whole body to be inside the machine. For most examinations, the patient’s head will remain outside the scanner. If it is necessary for the head to be positioned inside, the open bore scanner provides 30cm of space above their face, about twice that of a traditional MRI scanner. Aside from reducing patients’ anxiety this new technology allows the hospital to accommodate needs such as:
- Pain and mobility issues
- Claustrophobia
- Respiratory problems
The investment into new equipment at The Kings Oak and Cavell Hospitals has been made possible through a partnership between the hospitals’ parent company, BMI Healthcare, and Alliance Medical Ltd. As part of BMI Healthcare’s partnership with Alliance Medical, the hospitals will also welcome the installation of the latest GE Optima 660 64 slice CT scanner.
David Loasby, Business Development Director at Alliance Medical, said: “Both the MRI and CT scanners will sit alongside the hospitals recently upgraded Siemens Multix Top X-ray and fully equipped ultrasound and mammography departments to create a centre of diagnostic excellence in Enfield. The MRI and CT scanners will undergo installation and final preparation before the new unit is open and able to welcome its first patients in the spring of 2012.”
Executive Director David Henderson at BMI The Kings Oak and Cavell Hospitals commented: “The delivery of the new MRI and CT scanners is the final part of our upgrade programme before we are able to officially open our new imaging department later this year. All the consultants, nurses and staff at the hospital are delighted with the benefits that these new pieces of equipment will bring to the local community and our patients and we look forward to welcoming our first patients to the new diagnostic unit.”
For further details, please contact our Press Team: Lucy Meade on 020 7092 3387 or alliancemedicalteam [at] hanovercomms [dot] com
