The radiology department provides diagnostic and research imaging services to help clinicians and the hospital teams in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. These services include:
Accident and emergency, inpatient and outpatient services are provided at Epsom and St Helier hospitals. Outpatient services are also available at Sutton, Leatherhead and Nelson hospitals. Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children has its own paediatric radiology department.
Patients are referred to the radiology department either by their GP, A&E or as part of their stay as an inpatient.
Types of radiology procedures
An x-ray (radiograph) is a non-invasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Imaging with x-rays involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body.
X-rays are the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging and it is used to image bones to exclude fractures or joint dysfunction and to image the chest, spine and abdomen as first line diagnosis of common medical conditions.
These procedures involve Imaging in real time to view function of organs of the body such as the stomach and the bowel.
This involves imaging of the teeth and parts of the mouth and jaw using imaging plates on the outside of the face or very small x-ray film inserted inside the mouth.
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which uses a magnetic field, and computer technology to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures.
Jewellery and other accessories need to be removed prior to the MRI scan, because they can interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI unit, metal and electronic objects are not allowed in the exam room. The MRI unit is a large cylinder-shaped tube surrounded by a circular magnet. Patients are required to lie on a moveable examination table that slides into the centre of the magnet
CT or CAT scans stand for Computed Tomography, or Computed Axial Tomography. CT imaging combines special x-ray equipment with sophisticated computers to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body.
CT scans of internal organs, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels provide greater clarity and reveal more details than regular x-ray exams. The CT scanner consists of a short tunnel and patients are required to lie on a table which slides into and out of this tunnel.
Ultrasound imaging, also called sonography, involves exposing part of the body to high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. Ultrasound exams do not use ionizing radiation (as used in x-rays) and as the images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the body's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through blood vessels.
This examination is an x-ray examination of the pharynx, oesophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine. The patient is required to drink a barium solution which coats the organs and the radiologist is able to view and assess the anatomy and function of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum.
This is an examination of the large bowel or colon. During this procedure the large bowel is filled with barium and the radiologist is able to view and assess the anatomy and function of the rectum, colon and part of the lower small intestine.
Nuclear medicine imaging uses small amounts of radioactive material to image both organ function and structure. It is used to diagnose or treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease and certain other abnormalities within the body.
Most nuclear medicine procedures are performed using a gamma camera, a specialised camera that is capable of detecting radiation and taking pictures from different angles. It may be suspended over the examination table from a tall, moveable post or it may be part of a metal arm that hangs over the table, or it may rotate around your body.
Vascular services are provided within the ultrasound department at St Helier Hospital and in a dedicated vascular unit at Epsom Hospital. Vascular imaging is a special ultrasound technique that evaluates blood as it flows through a blood vessel, including the body's major arteries and veins in the abdomen, arms, legs and neck.
