A small animal hospital in Wiltshire has named its new MRI scanner after a Hollywood legend.

Eastcott Veterinary Referrals in Swindon held a social media poll to find a fun name for its new MRI scanner.

The winning name was Scanuel L Jackson, a play on the name of famous US actor Samuel L Jackson.

The name was chosen by Eastcott team members after a final vote, with other celebrity-inspired suggestions including Robert DeNeuro, Scannie Mac and Barry Scanilow.

Eastcott's hospital director, Niki Burton, said: "It is the second time we have decided to give a light-hearted name to a major piece of new equipment."

In 2021, an MRI scanner was named MRI-ah Carey.

"We thought that name would take some beating but our team and clients have come up with another classic in Scanuel L Jackson, which got almost half of the votes in our recent poll.

"It was a fun way to engage with our clients and local community, and it's wonderful to have a state-of-the-art scanner to help us provide our patients and clients with all available treatment options."

Ms Burton also highlighted the importance of the scanner for the hospital, saying: "Scanuel will provide outstanding image quality which is essential in neurological investigations of the brain and spinal cord, and examinations of joints and soft tissue, which will greatly benefit a wider range of patients for many years to come."

The new scanner has an advantage in terms of sustainability, as it uses a fraction of the helium gas needed for cooling compared to conventional scanners.

Ms Burton said: "The BlueSeal magnet technology of the MR5300 uses just seven litres of liquid helium for cooling compared to the 1,500 litres used by MRI scanners with conventional magnets so it's a huge advance in so many different areas."

This move is in line with the hospital's ongoing sustainability drive.

Eastcott Referrals provides care across a variety of specialities, including cardiology, dentistry, internal medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, diagnostic imaging and CT, anaesthesia and analgesia, and has its own emergency care centre.

The US star after whom the scanner is named, Samuel L Jackson, is one of the best-known actors of his generation.

He first rose to fame thanks to his role as a hitman in Quentin Tarantino's crime drama Pulp Fiction.

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