York Hospital has celebrated the opening of a novel SPECT scanner, which will reduce patient waiting times, improve capacity and provide broader imaging options.
SPECT scans, or single-photon emission computed tomography scans, are a type of hybrid imaging that creates 3D images from inside the body, allowing radiographers and radiologists insight into key organ functions.
The scanner, manufactured by Siemens Healthineers and which is equipped with calming ambience technology and soothing decorations, is hoped to help reduce wait times for patients by virtue of being able to conduct multiple types of scan at once.
At the official opening of the SPECT scanner, held on 15 January, Dr H’ssein Al-Chalabi was joined by SoR president Tom Welton for the ribbon-cutting, with attendees from the nuclear medicine department, industry partners and more celebrating the achievement.
Profound benefits
Dr Al-Chalabi, consultant radiologist at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, explained that the SPECT scanner is the first in the trust to allow a combination of anatomical CT with the functional data provided by nuclear medicine SPECT.
“The benefits of this equipment are profound,” he added. “It will allow local early detection of disease, a reduced number of imaging appointments required by patients, and in many instances, a reduction in timing and duration of scan acquisition.”
Highly detailed imaging of this kind allows for a broad range of investigations, he said, including movement disorders, dementia, neurological tract abnormalities, gastroenterology symptoms, and many more.
Its sophisticated imaging will also allow investigations into joint pain and endocrine tumours.
“It demonstrates our commitment to staying at the forefront of medical imaging technology, and will enable us to attract skilled and passionate radiographers, technologists and radiologists to complement our excellent teams,” he continued.
Dr Al-Chalabi went on to thank industry and technical partners who had helped with installation, the capital management team and the nuclear medicine department at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who allowed patients to have access to nuclear medicine during the installation period.
'A nice, calming environment'
Joanne Hopkins, nuclear medicine team manager at York Hospital, said: “We’re all about getting the best quality images for the patients, improving the patient experience. The department hadn’t changed for as long as I’ve been here, up until this scheme [to install the SPECT scanner].
“The scanner we’ve replaced was 19 years old. The image quality of this new scanner is so much better, we can provide much better imaging for patients, we can do two appointments in one instead of patients having to come back another day. We weren’t going to redesign it as such… but when we realised we would have to close down, we thought we should redesign the department.
“It’s been designed very much with patient experience in mind. They are very worried when they come for appointments, so we wanted a nice calming environment to come into.”
(Image: SoR president Tom Welton (L) and Dr. H'ssein Al-Chalabi (R))