An MRI scanner in Aberdeen will spik to its patients in Doric.
A multi-million scanner upgrade at the Biomedical Imaging Centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary will now help patients feel at ease thanks to a range of 17 languages available to patients, including the north-east Scots language.
The £1.2million upgrade helps patients get into place within the scanner, and is said to give soothing instructions in Doric, as well as Mandarin, Arabic and of course English.
Examples of the instructions given in Doric are “breathe in and haud yer breath” (breathe in and hold your breath) “The neist scan’ll tak five minties” (The next scan will take five minutes), “In a’tween the neist puckle o’ scans the table will move aboot, bide still” (Stay still because between the next scans the scanner will move about).
It is hoped that using Doric will put patient at ease as they undergo a procedure at what can be a very worrying time.
During an interview on Friday morning’s BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, Dr Gordon Waiter, a senior lecturer and brain imaging expert at the University of Aberdeen, said: “It was a slightly off the cuff remark when we were getting the install of the scanner, that I said ‘wouldn’t it be great to give something back?’ and have it in Doric.”
Mr Waiter was referring to the long history of the people of Aberdeen have had a huge impact on the development of the MRI. The first full-body MRI scanner was developed in the city during the 1970s by scientists.
He continued: “Having the machine speak in Doric is a little way of giving something back.”
Hearing Doric can really perk up a patient’s day
Mike Hendry, MRI lead superintendent radiographer, at the biomedical imaging centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary said using different languages in the scanner can have an impact on the results from the machine, due to it putting people at ease.
He said: “[Hearing the instructions in their own language] can really perk up their day.
“Sometimes we don’t tell them and it is just a surprise. It amuses them and it definitely lifts the mood.
“We have a diverse population with international languages and we want to make them comfortable.”
Ann Webster, a patient who was trialing the new machine, described having her MRI scan in Doric, as “really nice and comforting.”
She said: “It will put people at ease.
“Hearing it in Doric reminded me of my grandparents.
“Especially when it said ‘bide still’. You hear a well-kent voice.”
As well as Doric the MRI scanner can also deliver instructions in French, Spanish, Mandarin and Arabic. The scanner is the most up to date in the UK and gives clearer images and more accurate diagnosis for patients.