Cardiologist Professor Henry Dargie said of the donation: "We are delighted that the Lloyds TSB Foundation has decided to contribute so generously to our project. We have a long way to go to realise our aim which is the reliable early detection of heart disease, but this gift greatly accelerates our progress."

To date, 1.7 million has been raised from donations and grants and the University continues to seek funding.

Every year thousands of lives in Scotland are destroyed, disabled or diminished in some way by coronary heart disease (CHD). The overall aim of the project is to detect CHD at an early enough stage to prevent progression to disabling or life threatening illness.

The scanner, which uses magnetic resonance imaging, allows tissues and organs deep inside the body to be viewed, as it were, from the outside. The process uses no X radiation and is harmless. It will enable patients to have a definitive test for coronary disease without risk, thereby opening the door to earlier detection and more accurate evaluation of symptoms.

It is hoped that the project will commence in 2001 and that annually approximately 1000 patients will be scanned.

Andrew Muirhead, chief executive of Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland said: "This is important research into a serious disease which affects a high percentage of the Scottish population. The Foundation believes support of this project to be very worthwhile".

Further information can be obtained from Elspeth Farmer, 2001 Development Office, University of Glasgow, 0141 330 6886.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

First published: 13 February 2001