The Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospital Trust (SaTH) has secured £3.6m to build a new gamma unit and install a new gamma camera.
The new gamma unit is the largest single investment in Nuclear Medicine that Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin have seen historically.
The camera is used to detect cancer, paediatric conditions, and other acute conditions and will produce better-quality images.
The new gamma unit is the largest single investment in Nuclear Medicine that Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin have seen historically
A team of radiographers and an assistant practitioner specialising in Nuclear Medicine Radiography work with the radiologist in the new unit, next to the Evolution Scanning Unit that houses a CT and an MRI scanner.
The investment in the new camera will also complement the facilities offered at the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC), which provides elective diagnostic tests and scans.
The CDC based at Hollinswood House, Stafford Park, Telford, offers cardiorespiratory services, radiology (CT, X-ray, ultrasound and MRI), pathology (blood tests) and teledermatology.
It is nice to be in a new, bright, clean and fresh environment
More than 64,500 patients have been seen at the CDC since it opened its doors in October.
Dr Laurence Ginder, Associate Medical Director at SaTH, said: “It’s fantastic that the unit is now open and the first patients have been scanned using the new gamma camera. This long-awaited investment secures a Nuclear Medicine Imaging service for the future.”
“It has the potential for us to expand our imaging capabilities, improving the diagnosis and treatment pathway for our patients. The modern surroundings also create a better environment for both colleagues and patients. The project will lead to an improved hospital experience for our patients,” Ginder concluded.
Simon Burgess was one of the first patients to receive a scan on the day the unit opened.
Burgess said: “It is good to have this new facility here – it is nice to be in a new, bright, clean and fresh environment.”
Top image: Viv Orme, Nuclear Medicine Lead, explains the procedure for the scan to patient Simon Burgess
