Patients attending Queen’s Hospital for diagnostic imaging are set to benefit from faster scans and improved image quality following the installation of two new MRI scanners.
The new Siemens Sola scanners are capable of completing some examinations more quickly than the equipment they replace, helping to improve efficiency and increase the number of patients who can be seen each day.

The technology is expected to particularly benefit people requiring scans for musculoskeletal conditions, including back pain, joint problems and sports-related injuries.
Hospital staff say the upgraded scanners also produce more detailed images, allowing clinicians to assess conditions more effectively and supporting faster diagnosis and treatment planning.

The new equipment has been designed with patient comfort in mind. A wider scanner opening aims to create a less restrictive environment, which may be especially beneficial for patients who experience anxiety or claustrophobia during MRI examinations.
The investment forms part of a wider programme of improvements to diagnostic services across Queen’s Hospital. The hospital carried out more than 49,000 MRI scans during the last year, highlighting the important role imaging plays in patient care.

Over the past two years, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has continued to modernise its imaging facilities, introducing new CT scanners, upgrading specialist X-ray equipment and replacing technology used within Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy services.

Further developments are also underway, including the creation of a specialist bi-plane imaging suite for complex cardiac and neurological procedures, alongside additional improvements to CT and X-ray facilities across the hospital.
The trust says the ongoing investment programme is aimed at improving diagnostic capacity, reducing waiting times and ensuring patients have access to the latest medical imaging technology closer to home.