DEXA scanner officially opens
Published: 14/07/2010
Patients across Halton and Warrington suspected of having osteoporosis can now receive their scans closer to home with the introduction of a mobile DEXA scanner unit at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The unit which is currently situated at Warrington Hospital was made possible by a bid submitted to the National Osteoporosis Society in October 2007. The funding for the scanner came from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, who had provided £3million pounds nationally to fund more scanners to detect osteoporosis.
The DEXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) is used to detect osteoporosis accurately. It is a quick, painless procedure for measuring bone loss. It is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis, with bone density measurements of the lower back and hips mainly taken. Each scan takes about 20 minutes and is a relatively pain-free procedure, and involves only a very low dose of radiation.
Bryan Ogden, Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons in Cheshire commented,
“The Mark Benevolent Fund made a donation of £3 million to the National Osteoporosis Society to enable the Society to fund a National Osteoporosis Scanning Service that will provide over 30,000 bone density scans every year in England and Wales.
“The Service will provide a local osteoporosis scanning provision which will operate in areas where NHS patients have to travel long distances or wait months for osteoporosis scans and hence greatly improve the quality of life for those who suffer from this condition.
“We are particularly delighted that a substantial portion of this funding has been given to Halton and Warrington Hospitals and we sincerely hope that it will make a significant impact on the quality of life of the people throughout the area.”
Osteoporosis is a condition that results in porous bones. The bones in our skeleton contain an inner mesh of struts. In osteoporosis these struts become thin or weak, causing bones to become more fragile and likely to break (fracture). Osteoporosis can go undetected until the time of the first broken bone, which is why it is called the “silent disease”. The most common osteoporotic fractures are just above the wrist and top of the thigh bone. Other areas include the spine, hip, pelvis and upper arm. One in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 in the UK will fracture a bone, mainly as a result of osteoporosis.
Women are often considered more at risk because they have smaller bones than men and they also experience the menopause which accelerates the process of bone turnover. The female hormone oestrogen has a protective effect on bones. At the menopause (normally around the age of 50) the ovaries almost stop producing this hormone reducing the protection it gives to bones.
Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust services the populations of Warrington and Halton, which is over 300,000 people. The number of women over the age of 50 in Halton and Warrington is expected to rise over the next five years to 60,000.
Talking about the service, Dr Mark Caplan, Consultant Radiologist said:
“The introduction of the DEXA scanning service at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has allowed us to treat patients more effectively, by screening onsite. In the past patients have had to travel in excess of 20 miles to other hospitals to be screened, often with long waiting lists. We are now able to screen them within seven days of referral which significantly improves their health through the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, targeting treatment most appropriately, reducing the risk of fractures and future fractures.
“We are delighted that the Freemasons have come to formally open the service, without their financial support and that of the National Osteoporosis Society the mobile screening unit would not be possible. This is a great way to celebrate our commitment to providing high quality healthcare to our patients.”
Nearly 2,000 patients have benefited from this service since it started operating in October 2008. Previously patients had to travel to Manchester, Liverpool or to the Wirral for a scan. Patients no longer face lengthy waiting times for their scan.
Bone density scans are only recommended for people who are considered to be at high risk of having fragility fracture. Your GP will discuss your risk factors with you and then decide whether a referral is necessary. If you think you are at risk then talk to your GP to discuss whether a scan would be useful.
Picture: L-R: Chris Kenyon (Trust governor), Peter Connolly (Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire), Bryan Ogden (Provincial Grand Master for Cheshire), Allan Massey (Chairman of the Trust) and Dr Mark Caplan, Consultant Radiographer/Lead of DEXA scanner at the presentation of the plaque.
The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide national charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. For more information: www.nos.org.uk
Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons
Charity has always been a central tenet of Masonry and the Mark degree is no exception. The Mark Benevolent Fund was founded as long ago as 1868.
Since then, in addition to grants to brethren or their dependents in need, over £8½ million has been donated to Worthy Causes. All charitable contributions come from the members themselves and not from any outside agencies.In recent years, these have included major grants of £1.5 million to the Hospice Movement, £2 million for the purchase of ambulances for the St. John Ambulance Brigade, £2 million for Prostate Cancer Care and £1.6 million to the RNLI for the provision of a new Tamar Class Lifeboat aptly named “Mark Mason”. In our 150th Anniversary Year; 2006, it was entirely appropriate that we made a substantial donation to a very Worthy Cause.
The 150th Anniversary was a major milestone for Mark Masonry.
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