A TOP Wirral private hospital has been praised for a major investment worth £850,000 in a brand new MRI scanner to speed up accurate diagnosis of patients.

The Toshiba Titan Wide Bore scanner - the most advanced of its kind in the area - is now in operation at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital near Heswall and already the results are impressive.

Consultant radiologist Dr Paul Evans, an expert in muscular-skeletal radiology, based at nearby Arrowe Park Hospital, said: “It’s the newest and probably the most advanced MRI scanner in the area and we’re delighted with the quality of the images which will help us provide the right diagnosis.

“It helps us diagnose more accurately across a wide range of MRI applications and that means speedier and better treatment for our patients.”

The new scanner is a major investment for the hospital which employs over 200 people, has three operating theatres and 13 consulting rooms, provides 57 beds and treats approximately 6,000 patients every year.

The scanner, which uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to reveal the inner workings of the body in great detail, is also wide enough to ease any claustrophobia problems which can be an issue for many patients.

It uses magnetic fields and radio waves to form images of the body and unlike X-rays, they show up soft tissue as well as bone which has revolutionised diagnosis and many aspects of surgery.

Jeffrey Horn, the hospital’s MRI Clinical Lead, said: “It is definitely the most up to date MRI scanner locally and because it has a wide bore, 71 centimetres, is is much better for people who may uncomfortable in confined spaces and for larger patients.

“It means they are less anxious and stressed and because an MRI scan can take up to half an hour that means the scan is more likely to be successful.

“It’s very good at looking at organs and soft tissue, ligaments and tendons and it produces a 3-D image rather than a flat 2-D X-ray.

“It’s one of the reasons why keyhole surgery is so precise now because after an MRI scan the surgeon knows exactly what needs to be done and where – in the past it was a question of opening up a patient and seeing what needed doing.

“That speeds up procedures, is less invasive and means the time the pateint spends in hospital is dramatically reduced.

“This new machine means we will be able to diagnose even more precisely than before which is positive for the patient.

“It’s particularly effective for the diagnosis of sports injuries and helps speed up a return to action for everyone from weekend warriors to professional sportspeople.

“We even have a very large selection of music available to keep the patient comfortable while the scan is taking place.”

Wirral Globe:

The Spire Murrayfield Hospital has had an MRI scanner since 2010 but the new machine provides much more detailed images which are crucial for breast, cardiac and gastro-intestinal surgery.

Patients can be referred for an MRI scan by their GP or consultant and the cost of an MRI scan is often covered by private health insurance or patients can pay themselves.

Spire Murrayfield Hospital Director Alison Da Silva said: “It is important for us to be able to provide the best possible service to our patients and that is why this major investment is so important.

“One of our specialities is orthopaedic surgery and we are already seeing the benefit of this new machine in terms of treating patients and getting them back to health even more quickly.

“We pride ourselves on our high quality provision and this new scanner gives us a vital tool in the diagnosis and treatment which our team of specialists across a range of fields can use.”