New Hanover Regional Medical Center recently acquired three of the region’s diagnostic imaging centers, which will increase the hospital’s imaging radiology procedures by 10 percent, said Martha Harlan, director of public relations and marketing at NHRMC.

NHRMC will expand its services through the acquisition of two Atlantic Diagnostic Imaging Centers and Delaney Radiology Center’s satellite office in Porters Neck. The hospital will take on the 21 staff members at the three centers.

Through this expansion, the hospital will obtain more than a dozen diagnostic imaging machines that provide CT, x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, mammography and bone density tests, said Greg Firestone, NHRMC director of radiology.“The ability to call one number and schedule a procedure at several locations will be a big advantage,” said Jack Barto, NHRMC President and CEO in a press release.

The two Atlantic Diagnostic Imaging Centers are on 2208 South 17th Street and 1135 Military Cutoff Road near Landfall Center. The hospital’s Forum Diagnostic Center office will move and become consolidated with the more conveniently located Landfall Center location at 1135 Military Cutoff Road on Sept. 30.

“The opening and expansion of these new Health and Diagnostic centers is part of our effort to reach out to the surrounding communities and bring important health and diagnostic services closer to where people live,” Barto said in a press release.

The hospital will also assume the operations of the Delaney Radiology Center located at 8115 Market Street in Porters Neck and will add two new positions to operate its new ultrasound service. The total expansion cumulatively will allow New Hanover Regional Medical Center to provide diagnostic radiology for an additional 24,000 cases per year, Harlan said. Delaney Radiologists will provide diagnostic interpretation for the tests at all sites, which will increase the continuity of care, Harlan said.

Additionally, the hospital plans to open a full-service diagnostic and imaging center in  the Brunswick Forest medical center building, which is under construction and expected to open in early January 2010. The hospital expects seven new positions to be available at this new site. “We want our neighbors to have convenient access to the types of comprehensive diagnostic imaging services that can help them better maintain their health and identify potential issues at their earliest, most treatable stages,” Barto said.