Advanced MRI imaging now available at Holly House

For over 30 years, we have been providing first-class private healthcare, continuously investing in technology and facilities along the way.  Following the opening of our new £20 million facility earlier this year, we have now invested a further £1.5 million in a 3-Tesla MRI scanner.

Tesla is the unit of magnetic-field strength and 3T is the most advanced imaging currently available in clinical practice.  The new scanner has replaced our existing 1.5T scanner and is currently the region’s only 3T MRI scanner outside of central London in the private healthcare sector.

Michele Fox, Imaging Services Manager at Holly House Hospital, said: “To bring the new scanner to Holly House was a huge and exciting project.  In order to get our old scanner out of the building and the new one in we had to take a large portion of the wall out of the front of the building and bring in specialist contractors.  The new scanner is around 7ft long, weighs 6,100 kilograms and unfortunately can not be dismantled into sections, which is why removing and installing takes careful planning.”

The upgrade means Holly House can now provide more detailed images with greater resolution, therefore, enabling imaging of smaller lesions and anatomy not clearly visualised on 1.5T scanners particularly in musculoskeletal and brain imaging.

Michele said: “The 3T MRI scanner is a new generation in imaging technology – the imaging quality is very advanced enables us to see very fine anatomical detail.  We can even look at microscopic detail of the brain.  Previously we had to inject a dye into patients for certain examinations so that internal images were picked up, but with our new advanced equipment this is no longer necessary.  Oncology patients will benefit from this advanced technology greatly and for the first time ever our diagnostics team will now be able to undertake cardiac work – which opens up a whole new world of imaging for us.  The new scanner also has a larger magnet tunnel which will make the whole experience of having an MRI far more comfortable for patients.”

See the new scanner in this short video:

Phil Bates, Director of Holly House Hospital, said: “This is a very exciting phase in the development of Holly House Hospital.  Following the opening of our new building we have been able to expand the specialist services that we offer to our patients.  We have chosen to invest in new services and equipment in order to provide care to our patients that is second to none.  We pride ourselves on delivering a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment to all our patients and one in which we would be happy to treat our own families.”

Holly House Hospital, a member of Aspen Healthcare, welcomes both insured patients and those choosing to pay for their own treatment.