As one of the UK’s leading specialist cancer centres, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust has become the first in the UK to install the Biograph Trinion PET‑CT system from Siemens Healthineers. The system replaces an existing scanner at the Trust’s Wirral site and is expected to significantly improve patient throughput, reducing average scan times from around 25 minutes to approximately 7 minutes while increasing daily appointment capacity.
This will enable more patients across Cheshire and Merseyside to access vital diagnostic imaging more quickly, supporting earlier diagnosis, more timely treatment planning, and faster, high‑quality cancer imaging.
For clinical teams at the centre, the introduction of a new system also strengthens their ability to deliver specialist imaging services for both oncological and non-oncological assessments. As a regional centre supporting patients from multiple hospitals, increased capacity and faster planning play a critical role in ensuring timely access to diagnostic services across the healthcare system.
The Biograph Trinion PET-CT system from Siemens Healthineers represents the latest generation of hybrid imaging technology. By combining Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which highlights increased cellular activity often associated with cancer, with Computed Tomography (CT), which provides detailed anatomical images, the system enables clinicians to assess both the structure and function of tissues. This supports accurate diagnosis, staging and ongoing monitoring of disease.
The system uses advanced detector technology and AI‑supported image reconstruction to produce clear, high‑quality images more quickly, helping to reduce the time patients spend in the scanner while maintaining diagnostic confidence. Features such as flexible workflows and patient‑monitoring cameras support staff in responding to individual patient needs, while helping services manage growing demand for PET‑CT imaging in a way that maintains appropriate safeguards for sensitive patient information.
The installation reflects a close and long-standing collaboration between The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Siemens Healthineers. This supports the delivery of advanced imaging technologies that form part of an established and growing PET‑CT ecosystem across the UK, enabling NHS organisations to benefit from consistency, scalability and shared innovation as demand increases.
“The new Biograph Trinion PET-CT scanner will further enhance The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s imaging capabilities, providing even more accurate and detailed images,” states Diana Almeida, clinical lead for PET-CT at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. “Demand for PET-CT has significantly increased in recent years so we are delighted that the new scanner will reduce scan time considerably, allowing more patients to have scans each day, and greatly improving patient experiences, supported by the reliability that comes from working with a long‑established technology partner.”
“As demand for cancer imaging continues to grow, technologies that enable faster scanning, increased capacity and higher diagnostic performance are essential,” states Gill Coughlan, business line manager for Molecular Imaging at Siemens Healthineers Great Britain and Ireland. “By working closely with leading centres such as The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, we are supporting the delivery of innovative PET imaging solutions that help improve access to timely diagnosis and care.”
