State of the art imaging unit opens at a Sydney Hospital

The $4 million Interventional Neuroradiology unit (INR) was opened on Monday at Westmead Hospital to help in the treatment of aneurysms.

An aneurysm is a dangerous bubble in the wall of a blood vessel that can grow and explode, causing bleeding on the brain.

Premier Morris Iemma said the unit would dramatically improve the recovery time for patients and allow them to leave hospital and return to return home sooner.

"These services use cutting edge technology that allow doctors to repair aneurysms and manage bleeding without performing invasive open skull surgery," Iemma said.

"It means patients can be home within two days and driving within a week, instead of spending weeks in hospital using traditional methods."

The unit will service people living in western Sydney as well as rural and regional parts of the state.

Neurosurgeons use the INR Unit to insert a catheter into a groin artery and guide it to the aneurysm.

Once there, metal coils are fed through the catheter to make the blood inside the aneurysm clot, effectively disconnecting it from the normal blood supply inside the brain.

Patients can be fit to return to work just two days after INR treatment.

The funding for the unit was assisted by a $700,000 community donation made through ClubsNSW.