In ultrasound, a beam of sound at a very high frequency (that cannot be heard) is sent into the body from a small vibrating crystal in a hand-held scanner head. When the beam meets a surface between tissues of different density, echoes of the sound beam are sent back into the scanner head. The time between sending the sound and receiving the echo back is fed into a computer, which in turn creates an image that is projected on a television screen. Ultrasound is a very safe type of imaging; this is why it is so widely used during pregnancy. Doppler ultrasound A Doppler study is a noninvasive test that can be used to evaluate blood flow by bouncing high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) off red blood cells. The Doppler Effect is a change in the frequency of sound waves caused by moving objects. A Doppler study can estimate how fast blood flows by measuring the rate of change in its pitch (frequency). A Doppler study can help diagnose bloody clots, heart and leg valve problems and blocked or narrowed arteries. What to expect? After lying down, the area to be examined will be exposed. Generally a contact gel will be used between the scanner head and skin. The scanner head is then pressed against your skin and moved around and over the area to be examined. At the same time the internal images will appear onto a screen.

An X-ray is a high frequency, high energy wave form. It cannot be seen with the naked eye, but can be picked up on photographic film. Although you may think of an X-ray as a picture of bones, a trained observer can also see air spaces, like the lungs (which look black) and fluid (which looks white, but not as white as bones). What to expect? You will have all metal objects removed from your body. You will be asked to remain still in a specific position and hold your breath on command. There are staff present, but they will not necessarily remain in the room, but will speak with you via an intercom system and will be viewing the procedure constantly through a windowed control room. The examination time will vary depending on the type of procedure required, but as a rule it will take around 30 minutes.

With CT you can differentiate many more things than with a normal X-ray. A CT image is created by using an X-ray beam, which is sent through the body from different angles, and by using a complicated mathematical process the computer of the CT is able to produce an image. This allows cross-sectional images of the body without cutting it open. The CT is used to view all body structures but especially soft tissue such as body organs (heart, lungs, liver etc.). What to expect? You will have all metal objects removed from your body. You will lie down on a narrow padded moveable table that will be slid into the scanner, through a circular opening. You will feel nothing while the scan is in progress, but some people can feel slightly claustrophobic or closed in, whilst inside the scanner. You will be asked to remain still and hold your breath on command. There are staff present, but they will not necessarily remain in the room, but will speak with you via an intercom system and will be viewing the procedure constantly through a windowed control room, from where they will run the scanner. Some procedures will require Contrast Medium. Contrast medium is a substance that makes the image of the CT or MRI clearer. Contrast medium can be given by mouth, rectally, or by injection into the bloodstream.v The scan time will vary depending on the type of examination required, but as a rule it will take around 30 minutes.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed pictures of the body's internal structures that are clearer, more detailed and more likely in some instances to identify and accurately characterize disease than other imaging methods. It is used to evaluate the body for a variety of conditions, including cancer, injuries and a multitude of other conditions. MRI is noninvasive and does not use ionizing radiation. What to expect? Our friendly staff will guide you through the process. You will be asked to remove all metal objects from your body. You will lie down on a narrow padded moveable table that will be slid into the scanner, through a circular opening. You will feel nothing while the scan is in progress, but some people can feel slightly claustrophobic or closed in, whilst inside the scanner. You will be asked to remain still and hold your breath on command. There are staff present, but they will not necessarily remain in the room, but will speak with you via an intercom system and will be viewing the procedure constantly through a windowed control room, from where they will run the scanner. Some procedures will require Contrast Medium. Contrast medium is a substance that makes the image of the CT or MRI clearer. Contrast can be given by mouth, rectally, or by injection into the bloodstream. The scan time will vary depending on the type of examination required, but as a rule it will take around 30 minutes.

Theranostics combines diagnosis and therapy of diseases, especially cancer, in a personalised approach to delivering treatment. Both diagnostic molecular imaging and therapy use substances called radiopharmaceuticals. Radiopharmaceuticals consist of a radioactive isotope combined with a specific targeting agent, which seeks out specific clusters of cells in the body (for example certain types of cancer cells). During diagnostic molecular imaging, the radiopharmaceutical contains a relatively low radiation dose radioisotope, combined with a targeting agent which is specially designed to find and highlight abnormal tissue, for example in PET-CT scanning. The images produced are used to localise and stage the extent of disease and allow personalised treatment planning. In a therapeutic approach, the targeting agent seeks out the same abnormal tissue demonstrated on imaging; however, the radioactive isotope is exchanged for one that delivers therapeutic radiation. In this way, the radiopharmaceutical delivers a treatment dose of radiation to damage the diseased cells, while largely sparing adjacent healthy tissue. Using a theranostics approach, pairs of radiopharmaceuticals can be used in a complementary way to both diagnose and treat disease in an individualised manner.

Positron emission tomography (PET-CT) imaging is a powerful imaging technique that combines the metabolic and physiological insights from PET scans with the anatomical detail of CT scans to detect and monitor a range of diseases including cancer.

Nuclear medicine scans, including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CT), utilise radioactive tracers to provide detailed images of organs and tissues, aiding in the diagnosis and management of various medical conditions. What it entails: SPECT-CT, or Nuclear Medicine scanning is a hybrid imaging technique that combines functional imaging from SPECT with anatomical imaging from CT. Before a SPECT-CT scan, the patient receives an intravenous injection or swallows a small dose of radiotracer. Various radiotracers are used to diagnose and evaluate different conditions such as bone/joint diseases, cancer, endocrinological, bowel, kidney or biliary diseases. The patient lies on a table that moves through a donut-shaped machine called a SPECT-CT scanner. This scanner has two components: one to detect location and intensity of SPECT tracer in the body, and one to emit and detect x-ray beams from different angles around the body. Computer processing of this information allows detailed images to be generated. SPECT-CT is a powerful diagnostic tool that provides valuable insights into a wide range of medical conditions, aiding in early detection, accurate diagnosis, and effective treatment planning.