Gloucestershire Royal Hospital expands cardiac pacing services with specialist angiography X-ray system

Canon Medical Systems UK, Crawley, 31^st March 2026 – In the UK, pacemaker implantation is one of the most common types of heart surgery, with many thousands of pacemakers fitted each year^[1]. To support the growing demand for these procedures, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, part of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has expanded its cardiac catheterisation lab (or ‘cath lab’) provision^[2] with the installation of Canon Medical’s specialist angiography X-ray system, the Alphenix Core +.

A District General Hospital serving a population of approximately 650,000^[3], Gloucestershire Royal Hospital provides a comprehensive range of non-surgical cardiology services – including angiography, hypertension treatment, and valve disorder treatments^[4]. The hospital carries out around 700 pacing procedures, 300 additional rhythm procedures, and approximately 2,000 angiograms or percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) each year.

To meet this high-volume demand, Canon Medical’s Alphenix Core + helps Gloucestershire Royal Hospital’s dedicated team of 17 senior consultants to provide specialist regional care, especially for those experiencing a heart arrhythmia^[5]. Integrated with αEvolve, Canon Medical’s advanced AI-driven software, the Alphenix Core + helps reduce image noise, enabling high image quality at ultra-low radiation doses. And the system’s five-axis floor-mounted C-arm is designed to improve ergonomics, supporting complex cardiology procedures with an unprecedented range of patient access and full-body coverage.

“We selected the Alphenix Core + for our pacing room because it offers features which are simply not available in other systems,” explained Dr Nicol Vaidya, Consultant at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. “One of the main advantages is its flexibility in supporting patients with challenging vascular access. For certain procedures, tilting the patient slightly head-down can make access to the vein at the top of the chest easier. This functionality is built into Canon Medical’s system specification. And the multi-monitor display setup significantly enhances collaboration by ensuring clear visibility of X-ray imaging from multiple angles with screens positioned at the front, rear, and corners of the room.”

Emily McConnell, Superintendent Radiographer at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added, “The Alphenix Core + large-screen display gives consultants the flexibility to customise the screen layout that best supports them while operating. We can also offset the C-arm, which means the screens can be brought closer to the operator, reducing neck strain while also improving the positioning for optimal viewing. Even at low dose settings, the image clarity is excellent - which is, ultimately, a benefit for our patients, as well as the consultants."

The installation of the Alphenix Core + system coincided with Gloucestershire Royal Hospital’s strategic move to consolidate cardiology services on a single site. Previously split across Cheltenham and Gloucester, the arrangement posed logistical challenges – particularly when transferring critically ill patients between sites for procedures. The decision to centralise at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has enhanced patient flow, safety, and overall productivity by eliminating the need to transfer patients between different sites.

Now operating three cath labs, the hospital benefits from a dedicated pacing room, tailored specifically to the needs of device implantation procedures such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).

“In the future, we plan to offer electrophysiology – a specialist area focused on treating abnormal heart rhythms using advanced techniques like heating or freezing. Canon Medical’s technology enables us to easily expand our patient services, making the Alphenix Core+ the right choice for both our current and future needs,” concluded Dr Vaidya.

+++ END NEWS RELEASE +++

^[1] Pacemaker implantation - NHS

^[2] What to expect in a cath lab - 360 degree video - BHF

^[3] Introduction | Gloucestershire County Council

^[4] Cardiology - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital - NHS

^[5] Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmia) - NHS