Patients across south west Wales have been given a major health boost this week following the installation of a £2.2 million state-of-the-art CT scanner at Glangwili General Hospital.

The scanner, which has been funded by a Welsh government grant, incorporates the latest technology and looks set to improve the patients’ experience with increased resolution and faster scan times.

Wrist and elbow scans can now be performed as the patient sits in a chair, and the imaging can e performed in 4D. 

Cardiac scans can be acquired in a single heartbeat while brain scans can be scanned in one rotation, taking 0.40 seconds. 

This will make a considerable improvement to paediatric patients.  The scanner also has an extended table length, enabling scans to be operated from head to feet.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have this piece of technology,” said Sarah Procter, lead superintendent radiographer at Glangwili.

“It’s going to make an incredible difference to our patients as it’s much more patient friendly and produces a vastly superior image quality.”

In an additional boost, the hospital’s radiology department has also been carefully redesigned to improve the patient experience and now boasts two separate waiting rooms for inpatients and outpatients, patient toilets, a changing room and a cannulation area.

The unit is decorated with murals of Carmarthenshire’s landscapes and includes adjustable lighting.

“This investment from the Welsh government will be a great benefit to our patients,” said Andrew Carruthers, executive director of operations. 

“It will allow the health board to tackle our Covid-19 backlog by increasing our capacity and reducing waiting times.”

The demountable CT scanner, which has been temporarily situated in the hospital car par, will now move to Withybush General Hospital in Haverfordwest pending the replacement of their scanner.