iMRI scanner arrives at hospital thanks to £2m donation from the Marina Dalglish Appeal

Date: 20 January 2016

A powerful intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging scanner (MRI) arrived in its new home at The Walton Centre.

The seven-tonne scanner has been funded through a £2m donation from the Marina Dalglish Appeal and will be the first of its kind for adults in the North of England.

Marina Dalglish, who is the wife of former Liverpool FC manager and player Kenny Dalglish, said: “On behalf of everyone at the MDA, I am delighted that the money raised for this innovative machine by all of our loyal supporters is going to be so critical in helping many people on Merseyside and beyond.”

Stuart Moore, Director of Strategy, said: “This is an exciting addition to the diagnostic and treatment facilities we already have at The Walton Centre. The technology also opens up possibilities for new treatments in the future.

“We are extremely grateful to the Marina Dalglish Appeal for supporting us.”

The scanner is part of a wider theatres project. Two new operating theatres are being built around the scanner. This will allow surgeons to scan the patient’s brain during an operation and then continue the procedure without the patient having to leave the theatre suite.

The iMRI system allows the surgeon to visualise more easily the extent and position of the tumour to ensure that all, or as much as possible, of the tumour is safely removed during the operation.

Complicated cases can result in patients needing multiple scans and operations to remove tumours. Having this technology reduces the chances of a patient needing to return to theatre post-operatively.

Surgeons remove tumours surrounded by delicate brain tissue responsible for the functions such as speech and movement. The added precision provided by this technology – which gives surgeons a highly detailed picture - means more healthy tissue can be spared from damage during the removal of a tumour.

Interserve is carrying out the theatres build. Interserve Construction Director Phil Shaw said: “Through collaborative working and detailed planning the team were able to install the iMRI ahead of programme whilst maintaining the hospital operations and giving the patients the opportunity for earlier treatment.”

  • Summary:

    A powerful intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging scanner (MRI) arrived in its new home at The Walton Centre.