AN £800,000 MRI scanner went live this week at the Alexandra Hospital.

The new machine, which has cost another £600,000 to install, will help diagnose a wide range of conditions.

A hospital spokesman said: "MRI is increasingly being used to image and diagnose a wide range of medical conditions.

"It has a major role in the diagnosis and staging of cancers. It is the 'examination of choice' for joint problems, spinal problems and in most instances, imaging of the brain.

"It is also increasingly being used for paediatric work as it does not involve the use of ionising radiation which is of particular importance in children."

The scanner will provide a service for patients from Redditch and Bromsgrove who normally have to travel to Worcester or Droitwich for scans.

The development was funded by the Department of Health and the Arden Cancer Network with generous support from the hospital's League of Friends, who donated the proceeds from their summer fete and Christmas raffle to buy fittings and accessories.

The new unit, which is linked to the main hospital building, has been designed with patients' comfort and privacy in mind and the unit has its own reception area and changing area.