Hull CDC boosts diagnostic capacity with Yorkshire’s first Aquilion Serve SP CT system
Hull and East Riding Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has expanded capacity across the region with the installation of Canon Medical’s Aquilion Serve SP, the first in Yorkshire. Installed to handle a high volume of straightforward CT examinations, the scanner is central to Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust’s strategy to free up specialist scanners at its main sites for complex imaging, helping to speed up urgent cancer pathways.
The CDC, which opened in September, is a purpose-built, city centre facility offering CT, MRI, x-ray, ultrasound, ECG, respiratory, phlebotomy and cardiology services. Its central location and transport links make it easier for patients to attend, while its non-acute environment supports smoother patient flow, booked appointment lists and shorter waiting times.
As the centre ramps up activity, the trust anticipates scanning around 1,800 CT patients a month from early 2026. The Aquilion Serve SP was chosen to support this level of throughput due to its modern, intuitive Instinx workflow platform, designed to reduce operator workload with fewer clicks and faster examination set-up. Its AI-enabled 3D Landmark Scan automates planning by identifying anatomical landmarks to determine accurate start and stop positions, ensuring consistent coverage across operators.
“This scanner is exactly what we needed to increase capacity and keep our cancer pathways moving,” said CT speciality manager Andrew Stephens. “By moving routine CT work into the CDC, we can free up our scanners at our main sites for more complex examinations such as cardiac CT and CT colonography. The team adapted almost immediately thanks to the Instinx platform and automated planning tools. Its accuracy, consistency and image quality mean we can scan more patients, more efficiently, and with full confidence.”
Canon Medical supported the trust throughout the build and installation phase with a flexible and collaborative approach, adjusting engineering schedules around construction and ensuring the systems were delivered at the right stages of the project.
Picture: Back row: Nnamdi Ugwuoke, Martin Dennis, Karl White and Anita Echlin. Middle row: Louise Douthwaite, Karen Bunker, Dorota Cygan, Carol Fletcher and Okechukwu Okpara. Seated: Chi Burt, patient Frances Joyce Baker and Andrew Stephens.
Read this report on page 28 of the May 2026 issue of RAD Magazine.
