A new MRI scanner at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine has completed more than 4,500 tests for over 3,000 patients in its first year of operation. The scanner became operational in October 2025 and has exceeded initial projections set by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

The facility has reduced the need for patients to travel to Antrim Area Hospital for diagnostic tests. Previously, hospital inpatients required ambulance transfers to Antrim for MRI scans, placing demand on ambulance resources. Lynne McCartney, Interim Director of Surgery, Women’s Health and Diagnostic Services, said the scanner is easing pressure on ambulance service colleagues, freeing capacity for other patients.

McCartney said the figures demonstrate the impact of the investment and support the Trust’s ambition for Causeway Hospital to become an elective and diagnostic hub for the North-West. The Trust has always maintained that Causeway is a key part of its acute hospital network, she added.

Charmaine Dunlop of Coleraine was the 3,000th patient to use the scanner. She said having the scanner locally is valuable and means patients do not need to be transferred.

Lesley Thompson, Lead Radiographer at the MRI unit, said the service improves the patient pathway and allows timely access to MRI scanning for local patients and those from across Northern Ireland. She noted positive feedback from patients and families.

The first-year milestone comes ahead of World Radiography Day on Sunday, 8 November, which recognizes the contribution of radiographers and medical imaging professionals. The scanner is now an established part of the hospital’s diagnostic services, supporting the Trust's plans for planned care and timely investigations closer to home.