POOLE Hospital’s nuclear medicine department has benefitted from a £2 million boost to buy and install two new Siemens scanners.

The Intevo Bold Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT)/CT scanners are designed to improve diagnosis for the hospital’s patients.

They have been funded through a range of sources, including a donation of £500,000 from the Poole Hospital Cancer Treatment Trust as well as a grant from NHS Improvement.

The scanners will be used to provide improved diagnosis for cancer, heart disease, kidney issues and gastric problems, and will replace the department’s two original machines.

The new scanners will around 3,000 patients annually and faster scanning will allow the department to cut waiting times for diagnosis.

Furthermore, the refurbishment of the department has allowed for the installation of light panels above the scanning couches.

Stuart Dean, Poole Hospital Cancer Treatment Trust chairman, said: “Poole Hospital Cancer Treatment Trust was delighted when the nuclear medicine department approached us to agree to providing £500,000 towards the purchase and installation of the new Siemens SPECT/CT scanners.

“Over the years we have been involved in providing a number of scanners and other equipment to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of all forms of cancer.

“We are particularly pleased that this has come about as we are approaching the 50th anniversary of the trust, and nothing could have been achieved without the generosity of donations from the people of Poole and Dorset.”

Dr Kat Dixon, Poole Hospital’s head of nuclear medicine, added: “In nuclear medicine we use radioactive tracers to determine how a particular organ is functioning.

“Patients are injected with a specific radioactive tracer and then we use a gamma camera to see where the radioactive tracer has gone and what it is doing.

“Both new cameras are combined gamma cameras and CT scanners which will provide 3D imaging, fusing together information on function and structure of organs.”

Caroline Manwaring-White, radiographer, said: “I’m really pleased we have been able to secure the two scanners.

“They have a greater ability than our previous ones, and as Dorset’s sole nuclear medicine department, they will keep us ahead of the game.

“The scanners will give us a more accurate metastatic diagnosis for patients and will be complimentary to the PET CT scanner already in use in the hospital.”