CANCER patients will benefit from three new state of the art scanners installed at Barnet Hospital.

The new kit will be used to diagnose cancers, clots and metabolic conditions.

They were installed as part of a 23-year contract the hospital has with Siemens healthcare, where it will update and service its products on site.

One of the new machines, a DEXA, or Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry scanner, uses radiation to scan bone marrow to work out its density and can be used to diagnose osteoporosis and estimate the risk of fractures.

Nine new ultrasound systems have been installed into the early pregnancy unit, the antenatal clinic and gynaecological work and the main department for use in general medicine.

Karen Hammett, Superintendent Ultrasonographer at Barnet Hospital said: “The ultrasound systems have provided us with significantly improved, high quality images, even in the most challenging of patients.

"They perform very well with patients who have a high Body Mass Index, as interference and noise is reduced, resulting in a better quality image for a more accurate diagnosis.”