Kristine Knott, Radiographer and Kiran Atwal Masih, Senior Radiographer,
pictured with some of the digital X-ray equipment they use
Two radiographers at West Middlesex University Hospital are giving an insight into their X-ray work to mark World
Radiography Day (8th November).
Kiran Atwal Masih, from Osterley, and Kristine Knott, from Twickenham, are part of a team of 26 Diagnostic Radiographers working in the hospital’s 24-hour Clinical Imaging Department.
They see a stream of patients each day referred from the Wards, A&E, GPs and the Outpatients Department.
They prepare patients for X-rays, use special diagnostic digital imagingequipment to carry out the examinations, analyse the images to identify any abnormalities and report back to the doctor or consultant.
X-rays are vital in alerting doctors and consultants to problems inside a body which cannot be detected by other methods. Immediately diagnosing a problem in the body can save a life.
Kiran explains: “We examine the image and if we see something abnormal we put a red dot on the image to alert the consultant or GP because sometimes they may not see what we’ve seen. We advise the patient that a doctor will explain the results to them.
“If we think a patient needs to be seen urgently because of an X-ray result we ask the consultant to check the images straightaway. We always make sure that a doctor speaks to a patient if we find anything serious.
“We’re lucky here at West Mid because all the equipment is digital and images appear on our screens within seconds of taking an X-ray.”
Kristine says she became a radiographer because of their vital role in diagnosing patients. She explains: “I always wanted to work in the medical profession since I was very young and then I had an incident when I was 14 which was sorted out thanks to a radiographer.”
Radiographers work in a high-tech environment with an intense focus on the human anatomy but relating to patients on an emotional level is just as important.
Kiran explains: “A patient might have just had a big trauma like a car accident, or may not hear very well or understand English. We need to empathise and be aware of our body language, in order to communicate with each patient as needed. This is vital to help us reassure the patient and carry out the examination.”
Kristine agrees: “We need to assess the situation with each individual patient so we know how to approach the X-ray process with them.”
Kiran and Kristine enjoy the variety and challenges of working in clinical imaging, although shift work means careful planning to achieve work/life balance
They’re dedicated to their roles because of the impact they can have on people’s lives.
Kristine: “Knowing that you’re helping to find out things for a patient which can help with their treatment is so rewarding.”
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Notes to Editors:
If you would like to interview Kiran and/or Kristine, or for more information, please contact the media team on 020 8321 6342.
West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust is a major acute hospital in Isleworth, West London. It provides a full range of services to residents of the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond Upon Thames. Our imperative is to meet the changing needs of our local community through genuine commitment to providing high quality care in every respect.
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/WestMidHospital
The radiography team carries out CT (computerised tomography) scans and ultrasound scans.
CT scans use carefully controlled radiation levels to capture an image of a body part from different angles or ‘slices’. They provide the most detailed view of a body part and are used for cancer screening, and trauma cases involving the head, chest, abdomen or pelvis.
Ultrasound scans use ultrasonic waves which are transmitted through the body part and bounce back to give a greyscale picture on a screen. The waves bounce back in different frequencies depending on which part of the body they hit. The scans are mostly used to examine the abdomen, liver, kidneys and appendicitis.
For more information about World Radiography Day visit http://www.worldradiographyday.org/
