The Duchess officially opened the Dexa scanner

Camilla and Prince Charles toured Borders General Hospital in Melrose, which contains a new Dexa scanner.

The �90,000 needed for the machine was raised through donations by people living in the area.

The duchess spoke to a local osteoporosis support group saying the subject was very close to her heart.

The royal couple were taken round the hospital by Dr Andrew Pearson, the consultant radiologist who initiated funding for the scanner.

Camilla was speaking about her mother because we have a lady in the group who is in much the same condition Dulcie Gentleman Hawick

Camilla officially opened the new facility and praised local fundraisers for their efforts.

Among the people she talked to was Dulcie Gentleman, 69, of Hawick, who has suffered from osteoporosis for more than 10 years.

"Camilla was speaking about her mother because we have a lady in the group who is in much the same condition as her mother was, very bent over," she said.

"I think that she was surprised that we were all standing upright apart from Isobel.

The Prince of Wales was interested to see the scanner in action

"She was just saying how painful things were with her mother and that in that day they didn't know anything about it, but now things are better than they were.

"She was very friendly and just someone to speak to about a subject that we are interested in and is important."

The duchess was also presented with a small posy of flowers by Ian Johnston, a 102-year-old osteoporosis sufferer.

After the visit Dr Pearson said he thought it had gone very well.

"The duchess has already seen a few scanners, although this is a very new modern scanner compared to others she has seen," he said.

"She said every time she goes to see one it is a little bit more advanced.