Menzies and Royal Hobart Hospital join forces with new $1.9m MRI scanner
Menzies and Royal Hobart Hospital join forces with new $1.9m MRI scanner
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Tasmania, Professor Peter Rathjen, officially opened the new $1.9 million MRI scanning machine at the Royal Hobart Hospital this morning.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Tasmania, Professor Peter Rathjen, officially opened the new $1.9 million MRI scanning machine at the Royal Hobart Hospital this morning.
The Vice Chancellor said the placement of the new GE 1.5 Tesla Optima MR450w MRI in the Royal Hobart Hospital was a shining example of what can be achieved with the university and the State Government working together, and the benefits for the community when these forces are combined.
The purchase of the machine was included in fundraising for the development of the second stage of the University of Tasmania's Medical Science Precinct, which was completed in 2013. The location of the precinct means that world class research and teaching in medical science takes place virtually next door to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Professor Rathjen said magnetic resonance was a highly sophisticated and expensive imaging technique and the partnership between the university and the State Government had improved the opportunities for patients to undergo the testing that the scanner provided.
"It is also an example of the partnership between the research and clinical environments that exists within the Medical Science Precinct, which has enabled greater collaboration, sharing of knowledge and assistance in the translation of research into clinical outcomes in our hospitals."
Professor Rathjen also announced that the university has now achieved its $90m target for the fundraising campaign for the second stage of the Medical Science Precinct. "This is the largest and most successful fundraising campaign ever undertaken by the University of Tasmania," Professor Rathjen said.
"We have achieved this with the support and partnership of the Federal Government, State Government and, crucially, the contributions of philanthropic organisations and private donors."
The $90m target was achieved with $45m from the Australian Government through the Health and Hospitals Fund, $15m from the Tasmanian Government and the University of Tasmania, $10m from the Atlantic Philanthropies and $5m from Australian philanthropic donors
Professor Tom Marwick, the director of the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, an institute of the University of Tasmania, said clinical researchers as well as hospital clinicians were using the new facility, which provides facilities previously unavailable for studying cardiac and metabolic disease. "The Tasmanian community has among the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in Australia and this equipment meets the needs of that community," Professor Marwick said.
"Our goal at Menzies is all about building health and wellbeing in the community. The work we can now do for patients within the RHH is a great example of how our research at Menzies is directly applicable to the illnesses that are prevalent in the Tasmanian community, such as cardiovascular disease. We are very proud and grateful for the community's support in this effort."
The director of Medical Imaging at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Dr Michael Carr, said the new 1.5T MRI unit brought enormous benefits to Tasmanian patients.
"This is a real investment in our future healthcare. Its open design is more user-friendly for children and larger patients, and we are less likely to need to sedate patients who suffer from claustrophobia.
"It also has a lower magnet strength than our 3T MRI unit, so we can use it for patients fitted with medical devices such as stents, clips and pacemakers."
The Minister for Health, Mr Michael Ferguson, welcomed the opening of the new MRI scanning machine and the benefits it will bring to Tasmanians.
"The State Government is pleased to work in partnership with the University of Tasmania and the Menzies Research Institute to deliver the health care outcomes Tasmanians need and deserve and we look forward to continued benefits in future," he said.
"The Tasmanian Government is pleased to have helped the university reach its $90 million fundraising target for the second stage of the Medical Science Precinct, which will expand our medical research capabilities and further build on the Menzies' world-class reputation."
The Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Medical Imaging funded the building works to accommodate the machine and is funding staffing and on-going equipment maintenance. As well as the purchase of the new scanner, the funding has allowed the upgrading of the second scanner in the MRI suite.
Information released by:
Miranda Harman
Marketing and Communications Manager
Menzies Research Institute Tasmania
University of Tasmania
Phone: 61 3 6226-7751
61 427 199 562
Email: miranda.harman@utas.edu.au
To speak to an RHH spokesperson, contact:
Barbara Cox
Communications & Media Manager
Tasmanian Health Organisation - South
T 03 6222 8050 | M 0417 688 602
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