AI Revolutionizes MRI Scans in Hull NHS Hospitals

Medical staff at NHS hospitals in Hull are celebrating a significant advancement in patient care, thanks to the implementation of new artificial intelligence technology that has successfully reduced MRI scan times.

Hospital bosses say the AI technology is improving patient experience.

The AI-Powered Upgrade

The Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has integrated a sophisticated software called Air Recon Deep Learning (ARDL) into its existing MRI machines at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital. This innovative software uses advanced algorithms to filter out background noise from the scans, which results in sharper, clearer images being produced in a fraction of the time.

Karen Bunker, the head of imaging, stated, "This means we can reduce the scanning time on certain sequences, but still get the same imaging quality."

A Major Leap in Efficiency

The impact on efficiency and patient throughput has been dramatic. Staff report that the software consistently shaves 10 to 15 minutes off average scan times. Here are some of the key improvements:

• Routine Head Scans: Reduced from 30 minutes to just 20 minutes.
• Prostate Scans: Now take 30 minutes instead of the previous 45 minutes.
• Lumber Spine Scans: The trust can now scan 31 patients in a 12-hour shift, a significant increase from the previous capacity of 21 patients.

Improving the Patient Experience

Beyond the numbers, the shorter scan times have had a profound positive effect on patients. The often stressful and uncomfortable experience of an MRI scan has been made more manageable.

"People who struggle with claustrophobia or those with learning disabilities, who previously couldn't tolerate a scan, are finding they are able to endure the shorter scan times," Ms. Bunker explained. Furthermore, the reduced duration means fewer children now require a general anaesthetic to undergo the procedure.

The success of this initiative has prompted plans to introduce the same software at Scunthorpe General Hospital and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, extending these benefits to more patients across the region.

For more local news, you can listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or watch the latest episode of Look North.