Reginald G Reid/Graham-Hodgson - experiences of past recipients

I applied for the Reginald G Reid/Graham-Hodgson Scholarship with a main objective of developing advanced understanding of Neurodegenerative / Dementia imaging with PET tracers. Given my attachment was planned in Manchester a secondary intent was to gain experience in Rubidium cardiac PET/CT a facility available in only a few institutions in the UK. My attachment was part time over 4 months and during this time I visited the Wolfson Molecular imaging Centre and the Central Manchester Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (CMFT).

During this time I was able to develop understanding of FDG PET and Amyloid PET imaging with Professor K. Herholz. I was involved in reviewing a large number of research and clinical scans under his expert guidance and thus able to develop good understanding and reporting capabilities for PET brain imaging.  The physics team at CMFT provided valuable insight in the scan protocols and shared their expertise in appropriate reconstruction, post processing and display of images for analysis. This valuable experience has provided me with the essential knowledge, to plan starting this service at my institution. 

A further advantage of being associated with the CMFT was to be able to acquire skill and knowledge of Rubidium Cardiac PET/CT.  I observed a number of Rubidium studies being undertaken at the centre and was able to do mentored reporting which greatly enhanced my knowledge of cardiac PET imaging by providing an opportunity to understand, discuss and experience the advantages of cardiac PET for example its reproducibility and in particular the blood flow estimation, a variable which is not available in routine cardiac SPECT imaging.

I am very grateful to Prof Herholz and the whole Nuclear Medicine department at CMFT for facilitating this fantastic educational and practical experience. I hope to utilise what I have learnt to develop services at my own Trust but also to invigorate the passion of functional imaging in the junior radiologist group.

I applied for the Reginald G Reid/Graham-Hodgson Scholarship in order that I could gain new skills and knowledge in gynaecological radiology. My placement was a 4-week full time post in Leeds Teaching Hospitals. During the placement I initially observed lists of gynaecological ultrasound. Following this I performed scans under direct and subsequently indirect supervision. I greatly improved my skills in transvaginal ultrasound and my knowledge in the interpretation of images, and have subsequently put this into practice.

I attended a gynaecological cancer MDT meeting, reviewed the cases before and after the meeting and, where applicable, discussed cases with the gynaecological radiologists. I also reviewed numerous MRI scans that demonstrated benign pathology and vastly improved my knowledge of the imaging findings in endometriosis and benign ovarian masses. I was able to discuss scan protocols with the MRI radiographers which was extremely valuable and will likely change my future practice.

I also reviewed multiple defaecating proctogram scan images and improved my knowledge in the interpretation of this technique, and observed and later performed hysterosalpingography. I was able to observe and discuss several other techniques - transvaginal biopsies and foetal ultrasound and also spent a morning in gynaecological theatre observing laparoscopy for endometriosis and hysteroscopy.

I am extremely grateful to the radiologists and other radiology staff who gave up their time to teach and train me. Having completed the placement I will use this valuable experience to improve gynaecological imaging in the hospital in which I have secured a consultant post. Furthermore, I have a keen interest in teaching, and will use the experience gained to teach radiology trainees in this vital topic, hopefully encouraging other junior radiologists to pursue a similar interest.