Radiology in £2.2m double kit boost
Date of release: 9 July 2024
Two new pieces of “top-end technology” totalling more than £2.2m will mean more Radiology patients in Wolverhampton can be seen quicker.
Staff with the new C-arm scanner
A hybrid gamma camera equipped with a fully diagnostic CT costing around £840,000 at New Cross Hospital is a first at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), along with a £1.4m interventional C-arm X-ray machine.
The General Electric CT 870 DR gamma camera is a fully diagnostic CT enhanced hybrid scanner, imaging between 10-15 patients per day.
This type of scanner allows clinicians to image the actual function of organs and tissues, which means it is exceptionally sensitive in detecting and monitoring a variety of different pathologies, such as cancer and heart disease.
Peter Turner, Chief Technologist/RPS, Nuclear Imaging – Radiology, said: “We can take functional images and CT images then fuse these together to enhance the accuracy of both.
“Previously the CT component of our scans was only used for localisation and each scan used to take 40-45 minutes, but now we can reduce this to 30-35 minutes. This will speed up our service, meaning we can scan an additional patient per day.
“The CT element is much faster, so the scan time has come down, it’s more intuitive than the old system and the patient experience is better.
“This is a big step up in imaging quality and clinicians have fed back that they really appreciate the improved quality, allowing them to generate reports with greater accuracy and confidence.
“It also reduces the amount of scans required to be repeated. It’s a nice upgrade in technology – we’re moving to the top end of technology with this.”
Staff with the new gamma camera
There was minimal disruption to the service during installation because the new gamma camera is in a new room. The new gamma camera replaces an older model which will be decommissioned.
The C-arm – a Azurion Clarity IQ Interventional X-ray machine – is used to undertake a wide variety of minimally-invasive surgical procedures under image control.
Referrals come from a range of specialities for patients needing routine procedures and long-term management of chronic conditions, as well as those requiring emergency and life-threatening treatment.
Kate Johnson, Superintendent Radiographer, said: “This new machine allows us to undertake more complex procedures using state-of-the-art oncology and vascular software packages which aids cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“The system has improved image quality with a lower radiation dose to the patient.
“We have also expanded to an eight-bedded unit plus a recovery bay which will double our day-case capacity, reducing pressure on ward admissions.
“Referrals are increasing, particularly outpatients and urgent and emergency in-patient referrals.
“So having this second Interventional Suite will help reduce waiting times, patients can recover faster, reducing hospital stays, and overall it will improve the patients’ journey.”
ENDS
- For further information, please call Tim Nash on 07714 741097 or email tim.nash2@nhs.net
