Evelina London patients benefit from state-of-the-art X-ray machine

Evelina London Children’s Hospital can now scan patients with less radiation and more quickly than ever before, thanks to state-of the-art technology.

Evelina London was the first dedicated children’s hospital in the UK to install the EOSedge machine, which is an ultra low-dose X-ray imaging system. 

It is used to diagnose and plan treatment for patients with scoliosis and other spinal conditions, who often need regular X-rays, as well as children and young people with lower limb differences. 

The scan takes place while the patient is standing or sitting, and produces 2D and 3D images which are used to assess the spine, hips and legs. 

The procedure and set up takes less than 4 minutes in total, with the whole body scan itself taking less than 20 seconds. 

Since February 2025, more than 1,850 patients, aged 3 to 17, have benefited from the cutting-edge technology. 

Jonathan Lucas, consultant spinal surgeon at Evelina London, said: “The radiation dose of this scanner compared with a conventional X-ray is about 80% less, while maintaining the quality of the imaging. 

“Then for the follow-up X-rays we can reduce that even further to about 90% less of the previous radiation dose. This means better long-term outcomes for our patients.” 

He added: “This new technology can also help us to create 3D models of the spine that we use when planning a patient’s surgery.”

Evelina London patient Daisy has had 2 scans of her spine using the EOSedge machine. The 12-year-old said:

It was quick, simple and straightforward. The people doing the X-rays were very friendly and showed me the scans, which were really clear. 

In the UK there are currently 10 EOS and EOSedge systems, with 590 across the world. 

Lucy Clough, superintendent radiographer at Evelina London, said: “This piece of equipment is the future of spinal imaging. It takes a fraction of the time to process images so we can see more patients, and it is easy for our radiographers to use.” 

Funding for the EOSedge machine came from generous supporters of Evelina London Children’s Charity. 

Rob Halkyard, Executive Director of Charities, said: “We’re proud to help Evelina London invest in pioneering equipment like the EOSedge scanner. Together with our amazing supporters, we can create better experiences for young patients and improve long-term health outcomes – helping children to grow up healthy and happy.”