Imaging

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Imaging

The imaging division provides a full diagnostic service using X-ray, Ultrasound, MRI, DEXA and CT scanning machines as well as nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy. A range of services are carried out at City, Sandwell and Rowley Regis Hospitals, as well as the Neptune Health Park and Victoria outreach centres.

The division accepts referrals from both medical practitioners and agreed Trust designated staff. The team carries out its work using some of the most sophisticated scanning equipment available.

For more information about disabled access for this service, please click here.

Team

The team is made up of:

Consultant radiologists
Consultant physicians
Breast consultant radiographers
Clinical technologists
Clinical scientists
Superintendent radiographer
Radiographers
Radiographic helper
Radiopharmacist
Medical photographers
Nurses
Graphic designers
Office manager and clerical staff

Dr R Bhatt
Dr D Chand
Dr F Leahy
Dr C Keaney
Dr C Winkles
Dr P Vasthava
Dr V Sandhu
Dr K S Tai
Dr H Khan
Dr AS Ahmed
Dr N Kaushal
Dr S Yusuf
Dr A Notghi
Dr M Pandit
Dr WH Thomson
Dr A D’Sa
Dr D Dawkins

Services

The Imaging Division uses state-of-the-art equipment to provide diagnostic services using the following techniques:

Diagnostic Radiography – X-ray
Also known as the Plain Film Imaging section, this is one of the busiest in the department. Staff work across all areas of the department and in wards and theatres. They undertake work for all outpatient clinics, GP practices, emergency medicine and inpatients.

Staff take images on an X-ray machine using a special form of radiation that can ‘see through’ skin to look at the bones and tissue beneath. X-rays are most often used to tell whether or not a patient has broken or fractured bones. Machines are available at City, Sandwell and Rowley Regis hospitals.

All X-ray images now use computerised or direct digital scans. These images are electronically stored on a specialised Trust-wide computer system, and are available at any location where there is access to a computer via a secure log-on.

We operate walk-in services for X-ray at our various sites. At Sandwell and City Hospitals our opening times are between 9am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Opening times at both Rowley Regis Hospital, in Moor Lane, and Neptune Health Park, Sedgley Road West, Tipton, are between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Interventional radiology
This refers to a wide range of tests that help to support surgery. The techniques can be used, for example, to help to repair a ‘slipped disc’.

CT Scans
Computed Tomography (CT) scanning – uses a machine which rotates half way around the body, sending out a thin beam of X-rays from several points. A 3D image is then created using a computer producing an image which gives more detail than a standard X-ray. CT scanners are available at City & Sandwell hospitals.

MRI Scans
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This is used to make very clear 3D images of the inside of the body, and is particularly effective for viewing the brain, spinal cord, joints and the stomach. MRI scanners are available at City and Sandwell Hospitals.

DEXA scans
DEXA scans (dual energy x-ray absorption) are used to measure bone density. This is effective in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis (bone disease). DEXA scans are available at City and Sandwell Hospitals.

Ultrasound
This technique uses high frequency sound waves emitted by a hand-held scanner which is held against the skin. It’s most commonly used during pregnancy. Ultrasound scanners are available at all our sites.

Other services include:

Nuclear Medicine
This is when small amounts of a radioactive chemical are injected into the body, or swallowed, and then show up very clearly using our SPECT-CT and gamma cameras. This technique can be used to detect and treat diseases.

Nuclear Medicine also manufacture’s Krypton-81m gas, a ventilation agent used to check lung function. More details on this are available here: http://www.krypton81m.org.uk/

Radiopharmacy
The Radiopharmacy department manufactures radioactive chemicals for use in Nuclear Medicine and for other clinical trials in the hospital.

Breast Services
The Breast Unit in the Birmingham Treatment Centre provides imaging services for both the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme and the symptomatic service. Our Breast Screening Programme is one of the largest in the country and includes City, Sandwell and Walsall areas.

Symptomatic Breast Imaging Services
Symptomatic work is carried out to provide post-surgery checks and family history mammograms. A fast-track service is also provided to a dedicated Out-Patient Breast Clinic.

This provides all necessary imaging with instant reporting, along with ultrasound guided interventional procedures on the day.

Medical Illustration
The Medical Illustration department produces visual materials for use in patient care, medical education and medical research. This includes general medical photography, specialist ophthalmic diagnostic photography, press and PR photography, digital video recording, editing and multimedia production.

The team designs all patient information leaflets and corporate documentation, such as the Annual Report or staff and GP newsletters. They provide a full design service for presentations, posters, banners, signs etc and offer slide and print duplication.

Patient Stories

Please feel free to share your experiences of this service. Please e-mail your views to swbh.comms@nhs.net

Patient Information

Leaflets

Regarding use of Artificial Intelligence

We are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) at our Trust in two different ways – to support our clinicians when treating patients and also to conduct research into improving ways of how we treat patients.

You can read more about both below:

Using AI for research

IBM Watson Health Imaging: Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to look at chest X-rays and scans.

Here is a short animation to explain how we will be using AI to research better ways of treating and diagnosing patients: