York Hospital officially welcomes imaging scanner upgrade

30 January 2025

York Hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department has introduced a cutting-edge scanner, offering patients in the region improved access to diagnostic services.

The new state-of-the-art SPECT-CT scanner delivers faster results for the most common scans.  It also allows for more accurate patient scans, as it uses an imaging technique that combines two types of scans to create highly detailed, improved images of the body, enabling earlier and more precise diagnoses.

Primarily used for oncology imaging and functional brain assessments, the scanner provides detailed images with speed and accuracy, offering clinical staff valuable information about both anatomy and function.

This investment is expected to increase the department's patient capacity by up to a third compared to previous levels.

Previously, patients had to travel to hospitals in Leeds for this service.

Karen Priestman, Associate Chief Operating Officer at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said she was proud to continue advancing services for patients at the Trust and added:  “The new scanner will ensure patients receive the best possible care and access to the latest diagnostic technology closer to home.”

Sarah Burn, Principal Radiographer at York Hospital, said:  “Our previous scanner was almost 20 years old. We now have the latest technology, which will allow us to see more patients and provide the modern molecular imaging service our patients deserve.”

The installation of the SPECT-CT scanner marks the culmination of years of planning and collaboration among staff across the hospital and was officially inaugurated in the department by Tom Welton, President of the Society and College of Radiographers.