MRI and scanner arrive at Parthenay hospital

As planned when it opened in the fall of 2023, the new shared medical imaging platform (Pimm) operated by the RadioNiort group has extended its offering to MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and scanners.

This Monday, January 6, 2025, a first patient was welcomed to have an MRI at 2:30 p.m. The opening of the scanner had to be postponed, a priori for this Tuesday, January 7, pending the report from the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) to validate its operation.

“More complex work than expected”

Announced in our columns in September 2022, the Pimm will therefore have been seven months late for its extension to MRI and scanners, which was to be effective in mid-2024. “We had to deal with more complex work than expected to support heavy equipment”justifies radiologist Jean-Yves Airaud, head of the private practice company (Sel) which manages the RadioNiort group.

In fact, the weight of the five to six tons of the MRI and the three tons of the scanner required reinforcement of the support points on the basement. In the end, RadioNiort will have carried out one million euros of work for this extension and invested €1.5 million in the two devices.

Float at startup

While these new services were to be launched this Monday, January 6, 2025 in the morning, the team experienced a few cold sweats. But a solution was found as a last resort and the opening was postponed until early afternoon. Since it cannot be fully operational for the safety commission, this extension of the Pimm must benefit from a delayed report from the safety commission.

While the Nord-Deux-Sèvres hospital center (CHNDS) reopened its unscheduled consultations in Parthenay this Monday, January 6, in addition to the conventional imaging and mammography platform opened on October 4, 2023 by RadioNiort, these MRI and scanner completes the offer in terms of radiology. By estimating a treatment volume of 40 to 50 patients per day for conventional imaging, around 30 people per day for scanner and 35 patients per day for MRI, the last two devices can also respond to all pathologies.

The arrival of the Smur delayed

On site, RadioNiort will have deployed a radiologist on the initial center, a second doctor on the MRI-scanner center, five technicians and six secretaries.

A further step towards handling emergencies in Parthenay since, as we recall, a Smur branch must be redeployed on site in the medium term. Unable to obtain approval from the authorities beyond 12 hours of continuous service, the Nord-Deux-Sèvres hospital had to “delay for a few months” this implementation, according to its director, Bruno Faulconnier, also knowing that the hospital must recruit all the necessary medical and paramedical staff, doctors, nurses, caregivers and ambulance drivers, for this new service expected over 24 hours.

In the meantime, this public-private partnership between the hospital and RadioNiort for the deployment of Pimm “makes things significantly more efficient and comfortable for patients”rejoices Bruno Faulconnier.

Appointments for x-rays, mammograms, scanners and MRIs at the RadioNiort Pimm at Parthenay hospital are open to patients from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Such. 05.49.32.32.32. Website: radioniort.fr