Led Zeppelin star opens new DSPECT Gamma camera at Royal Brompton Hospital

General health Heart health Lung health

Led Zeppelin singer, Robert Plant, made an appearance at Royal Brompton Hospital on Monday evening to officially open the new Spectrum Dynamics DSPECT Gamma Camera at the hospital’s nuclear medicine department.

The state of the art camera is only one of three currently available in the UK (as of July 2014).

Rock legend Robert Plant, who had a heart scan at the hospital earlier this year, said of the new technology development:

"I have been keeping an eye on my health and I wanted a thorough check on my heart. Dr Duncan Dymond of St Bartholomew’s Hospital referred me to Professor Richard Underwood at Royal Brompton Hospital for a nuclear medicine scan and I was reassured by them both that all was well. I am delighted to learn of the new equipment that will help patients in the future."

Dr Kshama Wechalekar, consultant nuclear physician, comments: "The  introduction of the new camera is a major step forward in cardiac imaging, allowing high resolution images of the heart to be taken and significantly improving early diagnosis rates. The camera is also highly sensitive, resulting in much faster imaging times - 5 minutes compared with 15 minutes using the traditional gamma camera - and less exposure to radiation."

For more information, to make a private referral or to book an appointment, please email: privatepatients@rbht.nhs.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3131 5130