Hospital bosses have unveiled the new system, which is more powerful, faster and produces better quality images.

The MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology will scan patients for a wide variety of conditions, including cancers, brain and spinal cord disease, joint problems and sports injuries.

The scanner, which replaces the hospital's previous 10-year-old equipment, cost about £750,000, with the project totalling £1million.

As it can be used for a wider range of procedures, more patients can be seen in Sunderland instead of travelling to other centres.

Ken Bremner, Chief Executive of City Hospitals Sunderland, said: "It's a fantastic new advance for scanning in the hospital.

"The previous scanner was 10 years old so this is long overdue and will benefit patients for years to come.

"It is a more powerful and faster machine, which is hopefully going to help us with diagnosis.

"It will offer a more comfortable patient experience. There is more space and it's not, perhaps, quite as intimidating.

"I'd like to think we are first class in everything we deliver.
"Technology moves so fast these days. It's important that we bring our scanner right up to date."

The new Siemens Avanto scanner has a magnet 50 per cent stronger than the hospital's previous machine. It will produce more detailed images, helping doctors with diagnoses by making it easier to see abnormalities.

It will cut the scan time from about 30 minutes to 20 minutes and, because the tunnel is shorter, is less intimidating for patients.

Dr Terry Featherstone, consultant radiologist and clinical lead for the hospital's MRI service, said: "It's the best machine in the North East.

"We are very proud and happy to have it. We've now got a state-of-the-art, top of the range system."

The scanner works by using its magnet to polarise the protons in the human body, which is bombarded with radio waves and the information is relayed to a computer.

Neil Lincoln, regional sales manager for Siemens Healthcare, said: "It will provide better patient diagnosis. It provides better image quality, so better pictures for doctors to provide diagnosis."

Mr Lincoln said that the equipment works more quickly, which means that the hospital should be able to scan more patients.

MUM-OF-TWO Dorothy Robson was the first patient to use Sunderland Royal Hospital's new MRI scanner.

The 58-year-old has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for about 40 years and was having her neck scanned to check for wear and tear.

Dorothy, a patient at Sunderland Royal Hospital, and the old Royal Infirmary, over the past four decades – said she felt "very privileged" to be the first person to use the system.

She said: "It's fantastic that Sunderland Royal Hospital has this scanner. It's really good."

Dorothy, who is married to Brian, 58, and has two children Kevin, 37, and Lynn, 36, and a granddaughter, Millie, three, previously underwent an MRI scan in Newcastle 10 years ago.

Dorothy, of Seaburn, said: "It was terrible – it was an old machine, really loud and the room was very dark.

"This time, it was lovely. It was nice and quiet and they played relaxing music. It was very comfortable, the room was lovely and light and the staff were great.

"It only took about 15 minutes, where the other scan was 35 to 40 minutes."

To mark the occasion, Dorothy was presented with a bouquet of flowers.