A new £680,000 64-slice CT scanner is being installed at Sandwell Hospital. The scanner replaces the oldest 4-slice scanner currently at City Hospital and will support the Trust’s new Acute Stroke and Neurology service which is being centralised at Sandwell.
The scanner has a number of radiation dose reduction features and will complement the services already provided by the 128-slice Flash CT Scanner at Sandwell.
“This is a very exciting development for our patients and our clinicians. They now have access to two of the most up-to-date and technically advanced CT scanners in the West Midlands,” said Dr Jonathan Benham, clinical lead for imaging at the Trust.
As part of preparations for the new CT scanner’s arrival the imaging facilities at Sandwell are being upgraded. There will be new outpatient ultrasound facilities on the first floor and improved ultrasound facilities for inpatients within the main Imaging department on the ground floor.
The first patients are due to be scanned on the new machine on Monday, March 4th.
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust now has two CT scanners at Sandwell. In addition the 16 slice CT scanner at City Hospital will continue to be operational.