Great Western Hospital streamlines imaging procedures with new MR technology

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Swindon has received a Magnetom Sola from Siemens Healthineers. The MR equipment was selected as part of NHS England’s investment scheme to ensure 55,000 more people survive cancer each year.

The scanner arrived at Great Western Hospital at a critical time in the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to provide consistent and reliable scanning facilities as the hospital transitions back to the usual demand for routine operations. The system combines 1.5T field strength with BioMatrix Technology, which enables automatic adjustment to patient biovariability, reducing unwanted variation and the need for rescans while supporting predictable scheduling and consistent examinations.

Head of imaging Sarah Balchin said: “The pandemic has presented the NHS with a unique set of challenges; we are incredibly pleased with the timely installation and a safe delivery with minimal disruption. The Magnetom Sola is a welcome addition to our radiology facilities, furthering our scope of imaging and supporting early diagnosis of cancer, which is vital to saving more lives. The innovative system is also easier to use and makes it quicker to scan and construct images, reducing the need to rescan and helping us to run our services more efficiently.”

The trust planned the replacement of its existing system before the complications of the pandemic. However, with the support of partners including DD Porter Construction and the McNaughts project management team, Siemens Healthineers delivered the scanner within the original timescale, optimising implementation with digital services to reduce the need for on-site clinical applications training.

“Customers receiving funding for replacement MR scanners are choosing the Magnetom Sola to help expand the capability for precision medicine in their trusts, reducing the need for repeat scans and helping to increase productivity,” said Siemens Healthineers GB&I MR business manager Alistair Piggot. “The scanner at Great Western Hospital is the result of major investment in scanning technology and we are pleased to see the trust benefitting from this, with the system installed smoothly despite the challenges of the pandemic.”

Picture: MRI superintendent radiographer Princemon Mathew and lead radiographer Rachael Hilton.

Published on page 32 of the October 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.