McGimpsey opens new £26million medical imaging centre at RVH

The Minister for Health, Michael McGimpsey, today opened a new £26million medical imaging centre at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

The new development, which is part of a multi-million pound programme of investment at the RVH, will enable patients to benefit from the very latest innovations in medical imaging which allows doctors to view the internal structures of the body without the need for invasive surgery or sampling.

The new facility, which is state-of-the-art, offers the full range of imaging methods including one of only two PET/CT scanners on the island of Ireland.

Opening the centre Michael McGimpsey said: “It is a pleasure for me to open this new facility which is state-of-the-art and fully equipped with of the latest in imaging technology. Technology which will allow the skilled and dedicated staff at the centre to carry out their vital work in delivering modern, high quality, patient focused services in a much improved environment.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Imaging Centre is among the first of its kind in Europe as there are no ‘wet film boxes’ for diagnosing x-rays.
2. The centre also contains a PET/CT unit with cyclotron; two nuclear medicine cameras; 2 MRI scanners; 2 CT scanners; 5 ultrasound facilities; 3 interventional radiology suites; 2 fluoroscopy rooms and 4 cardiac catheterisation suites.
3. Up until now imaging facilities were located a various sites throughout the trust.
4. There is a four bed day ward in the centre which allows for minimally invasive, image guided procedures such as biopsy and angioplasty to be undertaken.
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