Children's imaging

About

We provide an imaging service for children at St Mary’s Hospital. The service provides a full range of paediatric imaging to help clinicians to diagnose conditions and plan the management of treatment in children. We also offer a limited inpatient service for children at Hammersmith Hospital.

We have three paediatric radiologists who oversee the imaging of children. They are all specially trained and will help to make your child feel comfortable and relaxed during any tests or scans. We have particular expertise in the imaging of children with infectious diseases and bone marrow transplants.

We offer a variety of scans and tests, including:

• x-ray: a safe and painless procedure often used to produce images of the inside of the body such as fractured bones and to examine organs
• paediatric CT: a CT scan, also known as a CAT scan, uses x-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of your body
• ultrasound: ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body, such as muscles, tendons, and many internal organs. It is also used during pregnancy to produce images of unborn babies magnetic resonance imaging
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI is a type of scan used to diagnose health conditions that affect organs, tissue and bone. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body nuclear medicine – nuclear medicine involves the use of a small amount of a radioactive tracer to help get pictures from inside the body
• positron emission tomography (PET): PET is used to produce a detailed, three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body

Additional information

Clinical trials and research

The imaging research team is primarily based at Charing Cross Hospital, but provides advice and support for new studies at all three Trust sites. This includes assistance with the administrative requirements needed for local approval and Imaging Research Committee (IRC) review, guidance with the imaging component of ethics applications, advice on research governance (ARSAC and IR(ME)R), and the provision of appropriate research tariffs. The imaging department are currently involved in a number of studies. If you are interested in participating in a research study please speak to the doctor in your area or email gule.hanid@nhs.net or lesley.honeyfield@nhs.net who may be able to provide you with more information.

Education and elective placements

If you are interested in an elective placement with our service, please contact our clinical coordinator, Tom Rabbitte at thomas.rabbitte@nhs.net.

Further online resources

• Imaging services at the Trust