The new machines, which are part of a £1.2million investment in new fluoroscopy suites, are able to combine different types of X-rays to provide clinicians with modern imaging to perform patient
procedures and deliver prompt diagnosis and treatments. They are able to show real-time moving images of what is happening within a patient’s body, for example the swallowing mechanism and blood flow.
The Ultimax-i multi-purpose digital C-arms from Canon Medical were installed in new suites at Lincoln County Hospital and Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, during the pandemic. For patients this has meant reduced waiting times and local appointments, therefore removing the need to travel to other hospitals.
Radiology Operations Manager at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Nigel Allen, said: “This is a really exciting project, we are extremely proud to have this new state of the art technology available for patients in our Trust.
“The team will be able to undertake more complex procedures, with the specialised imaging equipment that has exceptional image quality enabling very accurate diagnosis. It also has the ability to support our vascular suites, reducing the possibility of any future delays for patients.”
The first system was installed at Pilgrim hospital at the end of March 2020 and despite the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic, the second system was up and running shortly afterwards. This was only possible thanks to the support of building contractors, installation teams and a lot of training with staff to be able to maximise the benefits of the new technology.
Since then, 500 patients have benefitted from these new machines.
Nigel added: “They not only they provide us with much more detailed imaging, but we can also use them to diagnose and undertake some interventional procedures for cancer patients without major surgery. They can also perform diagnostic and interventional procedures in the blood vessels (angioplasty). The design of the machine gives us super flexibility and ultimate image quality.
“However, the scans are just part of the improvements made, the new suites are bigger, brighter and provide a much better experience for our patients compared to what we had before, and our colleagues have great facilities to work in”.