Doctors are being urged to carry out more magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in new national guidelines highlighting latest uses of the technology.

The advice, to be published by the Royal College of Radiologists at its annual meeting today, aims to persuade more doctors to take advantage of the technology and use fewer X-rays, which give off potentially harmful radiation.

Specialists in Bradford are highlighting the guidelines to boost the Bradford Millennium Scanner Appeal, which aims to buy a scanner for Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Professor Jamie Weir, dean of the faculty of clinical radiology at the Royal College of Radiologists, said the advice would give doctors a better understanding of the increasing uses for MRI.

"It is hoped that local trusts will be able to provide resources for these recommendations which encourage increased use of high technology imaging," he said.

"An accurate and timely diagnosis can improve the outcome for the patient and lead to substantial savings elsewhere in the NHS."

Dr Clive Booth, spokesman for the college, said too many patients were referred for X-rays.

And, in some cases, they were less accurate in terms of diagnosis to MRI technology, as used in most major cities for ten years.

"A lot of doctors refer for X-rays, which is what they were taught at school, but since then MRI technology has come on leaps and bounds and can now do more, more quickly and without radiation, so they are better purely in health terms.

"Often doctors are reluctant to refer for MRI scans because there is a misconception they are very expensive, but we are suggesting that money would be saved by reducing the number of unnecessary X-rays and at the same time patients would get better scans."

Dr Narinder Paul, consultant radiologist at Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust, said the guidelines highlighted the uses of MRI.

"A big hospital like ours, with the number of clinicians and the patients we serve, should have a scanner available on site," he said.

"If we did have one on site there would be a certain number of things we could do which we currently do on other machines because MRI is the technique of choice, particularly looking at the brain, spinal cord and joints.

"We are all trying to reduce the amount of radiation people get and MRI is completely safe, essentially using magnetic fields."

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