One of the UK’s top veterinary hospitals has added to its state-of-the art facilities by investing £1.4m in a new MRI scanner.
Linnaeus-owned Eastcott Veterinary Referrals, in Swindon, Wiltshire, has installed a MR5300 1.5T MRI Scanner from Philips in a purpose-built relocatable unit, with an additional anaesthesia pod.
It’s Eastcott’s latest addition to its diagnostic services which will benefit pet owners and referring vets across central and southern England and Wales.
Eastcott’s experienced radiographer and registered vet nurse Nicholas Taylor said: “This new MRI scanner will provide improved image quality which is essential in neurological investigations of the brain and spinal cord, and examinations of joints and soft tissue.
“The technological advances and image quality of the MR5300 1.5T is the same as that used in the NHS and this will provide our veterinary specialists with the advanced diagnostic imaging for patients under our care for many years to come.
“Its advanced technology also offers potential reductions in the time required to perform MRI examinations while the anaesthesia ‘pod’ has provided additional space for anaesthetic induction, minor procedures and investigations for our expanding neurology department.
“This all improves patient flow and frees space and resources in the main hospital for other services.
“As a diagnostic radiographer who has worked with MRI equipment in the NHS and the veterinary profession, I am sure the new scanner will greatly benefit our patients and I look forward to working with the Eastcott team to continue improving the multi-disciplinary services which we offer.”
Another benefit of Eastcott’s new scanner is a huge reduction in the amount of helium gas it uses for cooling.
Nicholas added: “The BlueSeal magnet technology of the MR5300 uses just seven litres of liquid helium for cooling.
“That’s compared to the 1,500 litres used by MRI scanners with conventional magnets like the mobile scanner it is replacing at Eastcott so it’s a huge advance in so many different areas.”
Hospital director Niki Burton said the investment would further boost Eastcott’s industry-leading offering: “Since we introduced neurology referrals back in the summer of 2020, we’ve seen strong growth in demand for this discipline.
“Investing in state-of-the-art imaging facilities such as this will further enhance our capacity to see and treat patients needing our care.”
Eastcott Veterinary Referrals offers expert care in cardiology, dentistry, internal medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, diagnostic imaging and CT, anaesthesia and analgesia and has its own Emergency Care Centre.
