Diagnostic Imaging

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Diagnostic Imaging:  Monash Medical Centre, Clayton

The Department of Radiology at Monash Medical Centre-Clayton is a busy entity of the hospital driven by emergency cases presenting from the Emergency Department and private practices especially for neuro-intervention and treatment of subarachnoid haemorrhage. We pride in being one of the three main hospitals in Melbourne currently performing neuro-coiling of aneurysm and neuro-embolisation of cerebral arterial –venous malformation. Intra-arterial thrombolysis for stroke has become one of the neuro-treatments that have increased in volume over the years.  Apart from that the department was one of the centres selected for the ISAT trial where cases trialled for carotid stenting verses carotid endarterectomy.

The area of vascular angiography has recently taken on a new dimension which now includes treatment of the viscera, i.e. chemo-embolisation of the hepatic artery and vascular treatment of AVM.  Spinal treatment has expanded to include verterbroplasty other than the regular spinal injection of epidural, facet joint and myelogram.  Angioplasty or balloon dilatation and stenting of stenotic femoral, iliac, popliteal and renal arteries to name a few are also regularly done in the angiography laboratory.  Other than the angiography lab the areas that constantly require nursing contribution are the MRI, CT, U/sound and Nuclear Medicine areas where invasive procedures such as biopsy, drainage and lumbar puncture for diagnostic and treatment purposes are carried out.

The Intervention Radiologist Consultants in Monash are renowned in their area of expertise in the community and it is not surprising cases are referred from far and wide across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.   Anaesthetic services in Diagnostic Imaging forms part of the peripheral anaesthetic services of the Theatre and Recovery Department which is located on 3rd floor of the hospital. Nurses in Radiology department are trained locally (on the job training) to provides anaesthetic assistance in MRI and other scan areas of Diagnostic Imaging. Diagnostic Imaging also has close links with the Neuroscience/Neuro Surgery and Vascular Surgery program.

 

Diagnostic Imaging:  Dandenong Hospital

Diagnostic Imaging provides diagnostic and image-guided therapeutic services to both in-patients and out patients within the community and surrounding catchment area. Diagnostic Imaging consist of MRI, CT Ultrasound (including musculoskeletal, Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Angiography peripheral diagnostic and therapeutic, cardiac diagnostic angiography, Nuclear Medicine, GIT studies, joint and back injections and general radiographs.  We have a 4 bed post procedure recovery where out patients who are having day case procedures are recovered. These procedures include peripheral angiography, organ biopsies (e.g. lung, liver lymph nodes etc.), ascitic tap and drainage plus abscess drainage.

The Department is committed to providing examinations and reports of the highest quality.   In 2003 the Department underwent significant expansion and renovation with the installation of a MRI scanner, multi-slice CT, upgrading the existing ultrasound machine and acquiring a second machine, there was also an increase in the post procedure recovery beds from 1 to 4. A new state of the art PACS system was also installed allowing digital image transfer and archiving of all patient’s images. The future plans are for a new state of the art fluoroscopy machine (July 2006) and expansion and relocation in the Dandenong Hospital redevelopment plan Stage 3 in 2007 -8.

Nursing staff in Diagnostic Imaging are vital in providing continuous patient care to hospital in-patients, and out patients. This includes but is not limited to pre and post procedural care of in-patients and out patients, assisting in biopsy, drainage and intervention procedures, scrubbing and scouting for angiography both peripheral and cardiac. The department also provides education to patients and their families or carers and the ward nursing staff.