Guernsey's new MRI scanner due to be in use from next week

The new scanner will be "far more comfortable" for patients

Patients requiring MRI scans in Guernsey will be able to use a brand new facility from next week.

A £1.3m project to replace the old MRI scanner has taken five months to complete, but will mean patients are now "far more comfortable".

The States of Guernsey carries out 5,500 scans per year, during which a person lays in the tube for between 15 and 90 minutes.

It is then able to create an image of soft tissues within the body.

Guernsey's new purchase will reuse the large magnet from the outgoing 13-year-old scanner that allows the technology to work.

The old scanner was 13 years old

Head of radiology services Alistair Richards said it was a "proud moment" for the team.

"The MRI scanner is a vital part of our hospital facility with constant high demand on it, whether it be emergencies or scheduled appointments," he said.

"The old scanner had exceeded its lifespan and what we have now will be far more comfortable for patients.

"It is a huge step forward," he added.

'New mood lighting'

The main room housing the scanner was stripped back "to a bare shell" and installed with a "new copper cage, which seals the entire space", the government said.

"The finishing touches have also included new mood lighting and ceiling-mounted screens which can project nature scenes to create a reassuring therapeutic environment for people undergoing scans," it added.

The final stages of preparing the new facility included topping up the scanner with helium and charging the magnet.