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

Clinics

Our imaging departments are at St Mary's Hospital.

Imaging department

Address

Third floor
Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother (QEQM) building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6418

Walk in clinic

At St Mary's hospital we operate a walk-in service from 08.30 to 16.30, Monday through Friday, for plain film/x-ray only.

Please note, we do not currently offer a walk-in or appointment service at Hammersmith Hospital for children under 16 years old.

Meet the team

Our children's imaging service is managed by consultant radiologists.

Consultant radiologists

Dr Afshin Alavi
Dr Mayai Seah
Dr Andrew Wright, clinical director, imaging

 

 

Patient information

Find out what to expect when you come to hospital for children's imaging.

Before your appointment

We will aim to provide your child with an appointment date within a week of receiving the referral form. There may be some preparation for some examinations. If this is the case then we will let you know what needs to be done in your appointment letter or patient information leaflet.

Please remember to bring your child’s red book with you. Also, please remember to check the appointment letter for anything specific that you have been asked to bring on the day.

When you arrive you will be asked to provide:

• your full address and telephone number(s)
• your child’s appointment card and appointment letter
• your child’s GP’s name and address
• a list of questions you may want to ask the consultant

Please make sure you have this information prepared in advance.

During your appointment

You, or a guardian/carer should attend all appointments with your child if they are under the age of 16. However, it may not be possible for that person to be present whilst the scan/x-ray is being performed.

We need you to check in at the reception desk on arrival where you will be asked to confirm your child’s name, date of birth and address. We will need you to supply a copy of your child’s appointment letter or, if they are attending for a plain x-ray, the original request form. If your child is having an MRI scan, you will be asked to complete a safety questionnaire.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so medical students may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room please let the nurse or doctor know and the students will be asked to step outside.

Waiting times can vary dependent on the examination being performed. We will try to see your child as close to their appointment time as possible, however there can be delays if our staff have been asked to perform emergency scans or x-rays. The length of your appointment will depend on the type of scan or x-ray being performed.

Once your appointment begins, you will be asked to confirm your child's name, date of birth and address before we can perform the scan/x-ray. The radiographer performing the scan or x-ray will give you instructions on the best positions for an optimal image for review.

After your appointment

The results of all examinations are made available to the referring team as soon as our consultants have reviewed the imaging taken and issued a report. By referring team, this could be your child’s GP or the clinical team looking after your child at our Trust or at external organisations.

Patient information leaflets

• MRI under general anaesthetic (MRIGA)
• MRI under oral sedation (MRIOS)

Referrals

Find out how to refer patients to our children's imaging service.

GP

Outpatient referrals should be sent to:
Imaging department
Third floor
Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother (QEQM) building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

To discuss any complex or urgent referrals please phone 020 3312 6418

We will also accept request forms via email ICHC-tr.imagingreferralssmh@nhs.net

GP advice

If you require advice from a consultant radiologist before referring patients for an examination, please contact us at radiologyadvice.imperial@nhs.net

Secondary care

We welcome referrals from other trusts. We accept referrals in the form of a letter (on the organisation's letter headed paper) and the letters must contain the patient's details, i.e. date of birth, NHS number and address as well as a clinical history.

External referrals must be emailed to ICHC-tr.imagingreferralssmh@nhs.net