The scanner received an injection of private money

The new service at Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary has reduced waits from 18 weeks in 2004-05 to two weeks, NHS Forth Valley said.

Some patients previously faced travelling to Glasgow for scans.

The new five-day-a-week service, which opened in March this year, was backed by an investment of more than �1m from private company Alliance Medical.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans use a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create pictures on a computer of tissues, organs and structures inside the body.

It is commonly used to get detailed pictures of the brain and spinal cord, to detect abnormalities and tumours.

Before the permanent department was set up, a mobile scanner visited the infirmary twice a week.

'Effective treatment'

NHS Forth Valley chairman Ian Mullen said: "Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary is the centre of excellence for planned care for the population of Forth Valley and this continued investment in services allows us to deliver real benefits for patients by reducing waiting times."

Health Minister Andy Kerr said that reducing scan waiting times was a key target.

"The new scanning department is already helping to deliver fast and effective treatment for patients in Forth Valley," he said.