A new £2.9 million MRI scanner is being installed at the Queen’s Medical Centre, thanks to a charity appeal to transform the treatment of children with brain tumours.
The Big iMRI Appeal, part of Nottingham Hospitals Charity’s Big Appeal, was launched in March 2018, to fund a state-of-the-art new MRI machine for use by brain surgeons at Nottingham Children’s Hospital.
Thanks to generous donations from businesses, organisations and individuals across the Nottinghamshire community, the appeal raised a total of £1.6 million, and after 18 months the hospital was able to begin the purchase of the machine.
The new intra-operative MRI (iMRI) machine has now been delivered to the QMC, and after installation and testing it is hoped the machine will be in use by Christmas.
The scanner, which is housed in a new, purpose-built suite next to a surgical theatre, will be used during children’s brain tumour surgery to help surgeons accurately remove as much of their patients’ tumours as possible.
It will also be used for general diagnostic purposes for patients from across the hospital.
Donald Macarthur, Paediatric Neurosurgeon, explained: “This machine will make a huge difference to surgeons, patients and families.
“Being able to scan patients during surgery, while they are still under general anaesthetic, means we will be able to see any small pieces of tumour that may be remaining, and remove them while in the operating theatre.
“This will reduce the likelihood of patients needing further surgery, as well as reducing the anxiety and stress for parents and carers who currently have to wait for post-operative scans to determine whether further surgery is needed.”
The iMRI machine, which was funded in partnership with the University of Nottingham, will be used by surgeons at Nottingham Children’s Hospital, based at the QMC. The Children’s Hospital is the leading regional centre for children’s neurosurgery, where over 1,000 MRI scans are carried out on children each year, including those with brain tumours.
Local families whose children have been treated for brain tumours at Nottingham Children’s Hospital have welcomed the news that the new iMRI will soon be up and running.
Ashley Swift’s three-year-old son Oliver was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just five months old. He was admitted to Nottingham Children’s Hospital in January 2018 after doctors discovered a large tumour, taking up almost half the left-hand side of his brain. Oliver has since undergone three operations on his brain, plus chemotherapy to further shrink the tumour.
Dad Ashley said: “The team at Nottingham Children’s Hospital have been absolutely amazing. At one time Oliver’s tumour took up almost half one side of his brain, but now thanks to the surgery and treatment it has shrunk right down and Oliver is doing really well.”
Ashley and his family raised money for the Big iMRI Appeal, including by taking part in a sponsored skydive, to help other young patients like Oliver.
Ashley said: “I’m so pleased to have been able to support this appeal and I’m thrilled that the iMRI machine has now been delivered and will soon be in use. It will make such a difference to other children with brain tumours, and to parents like myself and my wife Charlene.”
Barbara Cathcart, Chief Executive of Nottingham Hospitals Charity, said: “We are absolutely delighted that we’ve been able to help fund this important piece of machinery, which will make a real, tangible difference to patients and their families at Nottingham Children’s Hospital.
“We’d like to thank everyone across the local community – from businesses and schools, to individuals and families – who have helped make this possible by raising money towards our Big iMRI Appeal. We’d especially like to thank the University of Nottingham, with whom we were pleased to partner on this project.”
For more information about Nottingham Hospitals Charity and its current appeals, please visit www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk
