Tomography
(asked on 29th August 2025) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the age profile of CT and MRI scanners in use across NHS trusts; what steps he has taken to develop guidelines on optimal scanner replacement cycles; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of modernising the imaging fleet with newer technologies on (a) scanner capacity, (b) diagnostic throughput and (c) patient outcomes.
We are committed to ensuring that imaging services are supported to be as resilient and effective as possible, including reviewing the standards of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
In recognising the risks that outdated scanners present to service delivery, resilience, quality of care, and equity of access, NHS England has published guidance referencing the optimal cycle for CT and MRI scanner replacement as 10 years. The Diagnostic Imaging Network Capital Equipment Planning Guide (2021) was developed alongside the Royal College of Radiologists, Society of Radiographers, and Institute of Physics and Engineering, and outlines the expectation for timely and planned equipment replacement.
NHS England monitors the number, age, and distribution of imaging assets across England via its annual, retrospective National Imaging Data Collection. The latest publication from March 2024 focuses on the assets reported within the collection, and is available at the following link:
Whilst National Health Service providers maintain their own capital budgets for replacing imaging equipment that has reached its expected end of life, over the last five years approximately £260 million of national capital investment has been deployed to support replacement of failing and antiquated CT and MRI systems. This supported a reduction in the proportion of CT and MRI scanners over 10 years old in recent years to 17%, as of March 2024. NHS England has also developed national recommendations for equipment specification which are regularly reviewed. The standardisation of scanner specifications for imaging departments and the inclusion of new technologies ensures appropriate standards for purchase. An example of this is the addition of MRI acceleration software to national specifications ensuring that replacement MRI scanners can deliver a 30% reduction in some scan times, increasing throughput, environmental efficiency, and service resilience simultaneously.