A new MRI scanner costing £1.5 million which is expected to “reduce waiting times” has been delivered to a cancer centre.
The brand new charity-funded scanner was supplied to the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood on June 10.
The project has been funded by the Paul Strickland Scanner Centre, also in Northwood, and will help the charity work more closely with the cancer unit which is part of East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.
The scanner will be operated by staff from both organisations enabling them to find better ways of improving patient care and treatment, in addition to being a significant upgrade to the current unit being used at the centre.
The improved unit is expected to reduce waiting times, increase the number of people who can be scanned and allow for more precise radiotherapy treatment planning for patients.
The new machine also has a wider opening allowing for a broader range of patients and needs to be fulfilled and to reduce the likelihood of claustrophobia.
Claire Strickland, Paul Strickland Scanner Centre chief executive, said: “Mount Vernon Cancer Centre is an international leader in cancer treatment and deserves praise for investing in techniques that allow radiotherapy to be delivered with a degree of precision that wouldn’t have been possible only a few years ago.
“This has allowed this NHS cancer centre to reduce the amount of radiation given to sensitive healthy tissue (and therefore reduce side effects to patients), potentially allowing increased doses directly to the tumour.
“However, this degree of precision depends on the ability to determine the exact location, size and shape of the tumour in detail in relation to surrounding normal tissue, which can only be achieved with cutting edge scanning equipment.
“Paul Strickland Scanner Centre is very proud that, thanks to the support of our fundraisers and donors, we’re able to help make treatment even better by deepening our partnership with Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, which directly benefits local people affected by cancer and other serious conditions.”
Jagdeep Kudhail, divisional Chair for Cancer Services at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, said: “This collaboration with our diagnostic partners will bring about the best possible innovative approach to cancer care.
“It will ensure expertise is shared, leading to improved outcomes for our patients.”
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