Plans to invest in a third CT scanner within the Radiology Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital have been approved by the NHS Forth Valley Board.

The move will significantly increase scanning capacity, reduce waiting times for local patients and speed up the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious health conditions. This includes cancers such as lung, skin, liver and colon cancer, stroke and major trauma injuries.

Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce images of the body, including bones, organs and blood vessels. CT scans are more detailed than standard X-rays are used to help diagnose cancerous tumours, investigate internal bleeding or check for other internal injuries or damage. Scans can also be used to assess and monitor how well treatment is working.

Demand for CT scans has risen sharply over the last few years, a trend which is set to continue. This is due to a number of factors including an increase in the range of conditions where increased diagnostic and surveillance imaging is recommended, rising demand for CT scans to support both outpatient and inpatient treatment and increasing numbers of patients who require multiple scans before, during and after treatment.

This means that the two existing CT scanners at Forth Valley Royal Hospital no longer have the capacity to keep pace with rising demand. This has resulted in longer waits for local patients and impacted on the Board’s ability to meet key national waiting times targets for diagnostic tests (6 weeks for a routine outpatient scan) and the 31 and 62 day cancer treatment time targets. To help address this, the existing CT scanners are being used for extended periods during evenings and weekends and a temporary mobile CT unit is currently in place to provide some additional capacity over the next six months until the new scanner is installed.

Garry Fraser, Director of Acute Services, NHS Forth Valley, said: “The approval of plans to invest in a third CT scanner is good news for local patients and staff as it will help to significantly reduce waiting times and speed up diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of serious illnesses.”

The third scanner will provide capacity to carry out an additional 170 scans every week which will help reduce waiting times and improve access for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions, including patients referred with suspected cancer.  Having quicker access to tests and treatment will improve the experience of patients and reduces the anxiety associated with waiting for test results. It also supports early diagnosis and avoids potential delays in treatment, leading to better outcomes, particularly for patients with cancer where early detection is really important.

While the plan is to use the third CT scanner to support local patients from across Forth Valley, there may be an opportunity in the future to provide additional CT capacity to other NHS Boards once the local waiting list has reduced.

The installation of an additional CT scanner would also help future-proof local diagnostic services, providing additional capacity on a long-term basis and back up for any issues which may impact on the operation of the existing two CT scanners.

The new scanner is expected to be installed and operational within the next 6 months and local patients will continue to benefit from the increased capacity provided by the mobile CT unit until later in the year.