New £1m CT scanner at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital delivers more than 300 patients with diagnosis scans in first three months of use
Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital has installed a new, £1m state-of-the-art CT scanner, which will speed up diagnoses for people with damage to bones, injuries to internal organs, problems with blood flow, stroke, and cancer. Both NHS and private patients will benefit from this new equipment, which will alleviate pressure on waiting lists and reduce diagnosis waiting times in the local area.
The new scanner is part of an on-going multi million investment at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital including a programme of re-modelling and modernisation works to improve patient comfort, and the construction of an operating theatre for patients who do not require an overnight stay in hospital. Using this new CT scanner, radiographers are now able to scan up to 15 patients a day and have helped deliver more than 300 patients with their urgent cancer, cardiac disease, neurological, gynaecological and orthopaedic scans.
The scanner allows for certain scans, such as cardiac imaging, to be completed in one rotation, which provides a quicker and more comfortable experience for patients. It is also able to scan specific body parts without the need to physically move the patient, which could be uncomfortable if they are already in pain. New AI technology, combined with the scanner’s ability to image the patient quickly, delivers a higher quality diagnostic image for the consultants to use in their diagnosis of the patient’s condition. The scan table is now able to accommodate bariatric patients so they can also be imaged safely and comfortably.
The scanner is located in the hospital’s recently renovated imaging department, with new features such as screens on the ceiling and changeable LED lights which provide a calming environment for patients of all ages.
The CT scanning service at Spire Cambridge Lea currently operates Monday to Friday. The next phase of upgrades at the hospital will see the creation of a new dedicated ophthalmology slot, which will allow spaces in the operating theatres to be freed up for orthopaedic and neurosurgery. This, in turn, will enable more patients to be seen at the hospital.
Neil McCullough, Hospital Director at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital, said: “At Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital, we are committed to providing fast access to diagnoses and outstanding personalised treatment for people across the region, whenever they need it. Investing in state-of-the-art facilities like this new scanner alongside other on-going upgrades and improvements across our hospital, helps deliver the level of care in the most comfortable surroundings that our patients have come to expect.
“Receiving a diagnosis can be a worrying time for many people, but knowing they are being seen quickly, and scanned by the latest technology goes a long way to putting people at ease. This is what people expect and we’re pleased to be delivering that.”
