Patients across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are benefiting from a major upgrade to MRI services with the installation of a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner at the Leicester General Hospital.
Canon Medical’s Vantage Galan 3T Supreme Edition MRI is the first system of its kind in the UK and will enable UHL to deliver state‑of‑the‑art imaging services, supporting improved patient care and enhanced clinical outcomes.
The system offers a range of benefits for both patients and clinicians, including being quieter, a wide design to enhance comfort, and providing greater image clarity, which will mean more accurate diagnoses.
Deputy Operational Lead for Imaging, Gemma Coles, said: “The new Vantage Galan 3T Supreme Edition MRI gives us some of the highest‑quality imaging available today. The clarity it provides helps clinicians make more accurate diagnoses, and it will allow us to reduce waiting times by increasing our capacity.
“Patients will notice the difference too; the scanner is quieter, more comfortable and designed with patient experience in mind. This is a positive development for our imaging teams and patients.”
The new scanner will help UHL meet rising demand for advanced imaging, with the system expected to deliver around 6,500 MRI scans every year, for inpatient, outpatient, and routine referrals. While the scanner is primarily focused on delivering the highest possible image quality rather than reducing scan times, its enhanced performance will enable more patients who need advanced imaging to be seen more quickly.
Helen Hendley, Chief Operating Officer at UHL, said: “Demand for diagnostic imaging continues to rise across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and modernising our MRI capacity is essential to meeting that challenge.
“By replacing an ageing 1.5T system, we can now provide 3T‑level imaging across all three of our main hospital sites. This means patients can be seen closer to home, examinations can be scheduled more flexibly, and we can prioritise those who need specialist 3T imaging, such as prostate and neurological scans. This investment is an important step in our wider plans to expand diagnostic capacity and improve patient experience.”
The installation was delivered through a Managed Equipment Service (MES) partnership with Ergéa UK, who funded the new scanner to support UHL to provide high‑quality, modern diagnostic care. The project brought together several specialist teams to ensure the scanner was installed safely.
Rob Madge, Implementation Manager for Ergéa UK said: “We are incredibly proud to see the Canon Vantage Galan 3T Supreme Edition MRI now live at the Leicester General Hospital. Through our MES partnership with the Trust, Ergéa is able to provide UHL direct access to the world’s most advanced imaging technology. Ultimately, this has given the clinical team high-spec tools required to deliver faster, more precise, and truly future-proofed care for the local community.”
The installation was also supported by M&O Building Contractors Limited, Envirotect Ltd, and Jody Williams Pop Design and Projects Ltd.