SPIRE Clare Park Hospital near Crondall has unveiled a new £1.5 million state-of-the-art MRI scanner.

To mark the occasion, North East Hampshire MP Ranil Jayawardena and Clare Park consultant radiologist, Dr Hywell Evans, officially opened the new equipment at Clare Park’s radiology department.

Mr Jayawardena said: "It is great to see the investment that Spire Healthcare is making in our local area.

“Clare Park now benefits from the latest equipment and this is good news for local residents, as both NHS and private patients can use these facilities. Having met the staff, I saw first-hand their dedication and I wish everyone well."

The Optima MR450w 1.5T scanner uses magnetic fields, radio waves and advanced computing to acquire images, which are thin slices taken in multiple planes through the body.

This is a large wide-bore system around four feet long and completely open at both ends, enabling radiologists to scan patients feet first ensuring maximum patient comfort.

Magnetic resonance (MR) images are very good at demonstrating soft tissues like ligaments, muscle and cartilage allowing radiologists and physicians to evaluate anatomy and certain diseases that may not be assessed adequately with X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT).

Hospital director Dr Penny Pontet said: “I am proud of the continued investment in state-of-the-art facilities at Clare Park, we want to give our patients access to the best diagnostic equipment.”