The Royal Free Hospital’s heart attack centre has become the first in the country to receive state-of-the-art new x-ray technology.

Two new touch-screen x-ray machines produce “higher quality” images and should help medics make a more accurate diagnosis while exposing patients to less radiation.

Dr Tim Lockie, who leads the Royal Free’s cardiology service said: “We’re very excited to be the first hospital in the UK and one of the first in Europe to make use of this new technology.

“In addition, they produce higher quality images, which means we can make a more accurate diagnosis and the radiation dose delivered to patients while the x-rays are taken is lower, so it’s safer for them and staff.”

Construction on a new patient lounge in the centre has also been completed, while new MRI scanners and cancer-diagnosing nuclear gamma cameras are also set to be operational in the next few months.

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