The imaging department at Harefield Hospital is a progressive and modern department specialising in whole sprectrum of cardiac, thoracic and non-invasive vascular imaging. It provides specialist imaging service to support cardiology, thoracic medicine, cardiac and thoracic surgery respiratory including heart and lung transplantation.
The department provides secondary and tertiary services to local as well as wider population. It is one of the largest cardiac imaging department in UK in clinical activity and also has active research programmes.
The department performs chest radiography (including some general radiography), fluoroscopic procedures, ultrasound (US) and Doppler scans, echocardiography, nuclear medicine (both cardiac and non-cardiac), multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning related to above specialities. We also perform US and MSCT-guided thoracic and other invasive procedures.
Radiofrequency ablation of lung tumours is performed under CT guidance.
Catheter laboratories are located within and managed by the imaging department with most of the procedures being performed by the cardiologists. PET-CT service is provided for Harefield patients at an external site.
The department is equipped with Agfa Impax system with access to all imaging from anywhere within the Trust.
The department undertakes both NHS and private work.
Meet the team
Imaging services manager
- Juliette Tenant
Consultants
- Dr Simon Padley, director of radiology
- Dr Paras Dalal MRCP FRCR, lead for thoracic and oncology imaging
- Dr Tarun K Mittal MD FRCR, lead for cardiac CT
- Dr Evangelos Skondras consultant cardiothoracic radiologist
- Professor Dudley Pennell, head of heart assessment
- Professor Richard Underwood, lead for nuclear medicine
- Dr Joyce Wong MRCP, lead for cardiac MRI
- Dr Georgia Keramida, consultant in nuclear medicine
- Dr Shelley Rahman Haley MRCP, lead for echocardiography
PACS manager
Mr Adam Bell
Facilities and procedures
The department specialises in cardiothoracic and non-invasive vascular imaging. US and CT-guided interventional procedures are also performed. The following imaging modalities are provided for:
The department provides excellent training facilities in all aspects of cardio-thoracic imaging. Harefield Hospital is a leading tertiary centre for whole range of cardiac and thoracic medicine and surgery and is the only centre for heart and lung transplantation for the whole of south England and Wales (one of the largest centre in UK for this purpose and also one the world’s best known). This provides exciting opportunities for training and research in this specialised field as the department works as an essential part of all the clinical teams.
Chest imaging
Training is provided in the interpretation of chest radiographs, diagnostic and interventional ultrasounds of the chest, computed tomography (CT scanning) for all pulmonary diseases (including high resolution CT for interstitial lung diseases, lung tumour staging, assessment of end stage lung disease for transplantation and complications after transplantation) and nuclear ventilation-perfusion scans. Routing CT guided interventions such as biopsies etc are also performed. Thoracic MRI is also undertaken.
Cardiac and non-invasive vascular imaging
Whole spectrum of cardiac imaging are performed including plain radiography, echocardiograms, nuclear cardiology, ECG gated computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Training can also be arranged for diagnostic coronary angiography where required.
Training can be undertaken
- As part of the UK specialist registrar rotation in consultation with the candidate’s training director and post-graduate dean. This can be at any level of training, although SPRs in their fourth or fifth year of training are preferred for sub-speciality training.
- After CCST as a clinical fellowship. However appropriate funding for this will have to arranged through the respective post-graduate deanery.
- Research fellowship, subject to availability of suitable funding.
- Short period training at other levels.
For information regarding the cardiac CT course, please contact:
Dr Tarun K Mittal on telephone +44 (0)1895 828609 or email: t.mittal@rbht.nhs.uk