Radiologists and radiology technologists are often the unsung heroes in critical situations by providing rapid and accurate imaging crucial for immediate medical decisions. That they are able to deliver swift, high-quality results underscores their vital role at large specialist public hospitals. It is this contribution to the public health system that is celebrated on World Radiography Day, which took place on Wednesday 8 November.
The radiologists and radiology technologists at Red Cross
War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) in Rondebosch play vital roles in
providing diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy to patients with complex or
advanced medical conditions. It is this contribution to the public health
system that is celebrated on World Radiography Day, which took place on Wednesday 8 November.
This year the theme is “Celebrating patient safety”, which
emphasises the role of radiography in ensuring patient safety beyond radiation
protection as well as maintaining efficient radiological procedures in medical
practice.
Radiologists and radiology technologists are often the
unsung heroes in critical situations by providing rapid and accurate imaging
crucial for immediate medical decisions. That they are able to deliver swift,
high-quality results underscores their vital role at large specialist public
hospitals.
Using a range of imaging techniques, these professionals
work tirelessly every day to help diagnose or treat disease, detect injury,
determine the treatment approach and reduce the need for exploratory surgeries
(a diagnostic method used by doctors when trying to find a diagnosis for an
ailment). These techniques include fluoroscopy, positron-emission tomography
(PET), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, X-ray radiography, and
magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI), to name a few.
RCWMCH is a tertiary-level specialised paediatric hospital
that treats patients under age 13. Performing more than 30 000 studies per
year, the radiology department at RCWMCH is by extension a unique specialist
facility within an already highly specialised environment.
“Radiology has become pivotal to most clinical
decision-making and is used to confirm clinical suspicions, exclude certain
pathologies and monitor childhood diseases,” said Dr Ashmitha Rajkumar,
consultant radiologist at RCWMCH. “The emphasis in treating children is
non-invasive imaging where possible, with patient safety, comfort and risk
mitigation paramount.
“Paediatric radiology requires a particular set of skills
and equipment geared towards children. Everything in the department (and the
wider hospital) is tailored towards children, from size-appropriate equipment
to protocols and parameters that reduce radiation burden and other risks to
children undergoing imaging.
Radiographers at our large specialist public hospitals are
at the forefront of ensuring imaging procedures are conducted with the utmost
care to minimise radiation exposure while maximising diagnostic efficacy.
It
is worthy to note their expertise, specialties and daily efforts to provide the
best care from the departing point of diagnostics on a day celebrated globally
to hail their integral work in health care.
