[A] new £500,000 fluoroscopy room at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle (CIC) is now up and running, with more x-ray patients being examined sooner and freeing up time for other patients.
The new room has been a three year plan to upgrade equipment in the Radiology department, which included refurbishing three general x-ray rooms and installing a brand new x-ray room.
Fluoroscopy is a type of medical imaging that gives a real time video image on television monitors. It is useful for seeing dynamic bodily functions, such as the swallowing action and uses a range of dyes which can be drunk or introduced through a catheter depending on the part of the body. North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust (NCUH) has now introduced a new £400,000 multipurpose imaging system.
The new fluoroscopy imaging machine will be particularly useful for:
- Patients who have had a stroke and have difficulties with swallowing
- Children requiring a micturating cystogram – a procedure that looks inside a baby or child’s body while he or she is passing urine
- Women who require a procedure to investigate the patency of fallopian tubes – an important test of female fertility potential
- Patients requiring a nephrostomy which drains urine from both kidneys
The machine also provides blood vessel examinations as a back up to the hospital’s angio room. It replaces a previous piece of equipment that was 16 years old, and allows around ten extra patients a day to be examined.
Dr Jon Berry, consultant radiologist, said: “We are very happy with the new equipment, it has been a long time in the making and is a truly positive development for our patients. The new room allows us to have more clinical space, having knocked two rooms into one, and increases our patient capacity.
“During the planning of the room, we looked at the way this room and the angio room were used. We rearranged procedures and slots used by cardiologists, radiologists, radiographers and nurses to ensure we run a more effective department. We are already seeing huge improvements in care thanks to this room, and I’d like to extend my thanks to all the staff involved in making this happen.”
