A leading-edge magnetic resonance imaging machine with artificial intelligence enhancement is expected to be in full use within days at Bermuda Healthcare Services.

Former premier Ewart Brown, a physician for more than 50 years and owner of BHCS, unveiled the new Siemens Magnetom Flow. Neo MRI machine, at his clinic in Paget on Saturday.

The new imager is nearly 50 per cent faster than the old machine, which went live in September 2004.

Its integrated AI accelerates scan times, improves image consistency, and simplifies daily operations.

Dr Brown, surrounded by staff and family, said: “It means a lot for Bermuda Healthcare and our patients and it means a lot for Bermuda.

“I think now it’s up to 70 per cent of our MRI patients come from other doctors, so we’re serving our community, not just limiting it to our patients.

“It’s state-of-the-art technology. There’s fewer than ten of its type in the world. It’s straight from the factory floor. We feel fortunate to have it because it means people with difficulties with claustrophobia will not have to travel abroad.

“It means something special for the people. It’s not an ‘open’ MRI, but it’s wide open. It’s 70 centimetres wide so patients don’t have any feeling of being enclosed. It’s great. And if that doesn’t work we have a few things for them [to get through the scan].”

When asked about its cost, Dr Brown lowered his voice and only said: “Expensive, very expensive.”

He added: “But we’ve been down since May. That is what was painful for us. Our other unit, it just totally just went down, and we don’t know why.

“One of the benefits of this new technology is that it uses helium like the old machine, but it’s contained – a closed circuit now,” Dr Brown explained. “It’s just about one litre of helium and we don’t have to order it, which can take a while, or keep a stockpile.

“I’m grateful to my staff, led by Mahesh Reddy, and the imaging team of David Weingarten and Kym Dumas, and others. They’re very experienced, with more than 65 years of in the field between the two of them.

“It’s been hectic; Dr Reddy has been seeing patients here, all while the work has been going on. The staff have been working flat-out.

“They’ve been working directly with the Siemens technicians. We had to break open the roof and had a heavy-lift crane come in to do the swap. But I’m pleased to provide this to the people of Bermuda.”