INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

How the Department Of Health Guidance on Interventional Radiology Could Impact On the Role of the Radiographer within a Modern Imaging Department

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Interventional Radiology1

Interventional Radiographers2

Role of Guidelines of Department of Health on Image Services2

General Principles2

Device Position Must Be Documented3

Angiography3

Endovascular Interventions3

Nonvascular Interventions4

The impact of Image Service Guidelines4

Practical Application of the preceding Guidelines5

Setting Standards5

Diagnostic accuracy5

Service Standards6

Technical Standards7

Standards of Performance7

Service Delivery8

Local Services8

Provision of 24 hours IR Services9

Network Development10

Issues Related to Effective Service Delivery12

Conclusion13

References15

How the Department Of Health Guidance on Interventional Radiology Could Impact On the Role of the Radiographer within a Modern Imaging Department

Introduction

The department of Health has published a comprehensive report on interventional radiology in which it has mentioned how the department can improve the role of radiographer. On the whole, the department focuses on improving the quality of care by putting patients at the centre of decision making. The department is also planning to give patients choices for certain treatments. The services of the department vary, but, the department has focused on comprehensive Interventional Radiology (IR) guidelines, which can improve the final outcome by providing safety to patients in the planned care conditions.

Interventional Radiology

In order to understand the role of The Department of Health, and its impact on the role of Radiographer within the modern imaging department, it is important to understand interventional convention (IR). “IR is a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery or medical interventions that use radiological image guidance (fluoroscopy, ultrasound, computed tomography [CT] or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) to effect treatment” (Department of Health, 2010, p.7). However, the role on interventional Radiology is misunderstood, despite its development for 45 years. The main reason behind this is that fact it is confused with diagnostic radiology. However, diagnostic radiology is only a part of interventional radiology. IR specialists get the training of diagnostic radiology because it helps to interpret image, which are the main job of IR specialists.

Interventional Radiographers

Interventional radiologists work closely with physicians and help them in diagnosing the disease by interpretation of the images of medical tests. The advanced radiology labs have expensive and complex equipments, which are used to diagnose some serious and life threatening diseases. The interventional radiologist must understand the indications of the procedure, relevant anatomy; techniques and essentials of post procedural care (McConnell & Child, 1999, p.185). The types of images that these radiographers produce are X-Ray, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. The National Guidelines set by The Department of Health plays a pivotal to help the interventional radiographers in interpretation of test results (McConnell, & Child, 199, p.185).

Role of Guidelines of Department of Health on Image Services

The guidelines of image services help the radiologists to capture and save the images according to the following rules:

General Principles

According to the guidelines, the images must be saved in permanently retrievable disks. The images should be saved, both in digital and hardcopy format, in order to maintain the data. Pertinent imaging data will provide autonomy in the process, which will help in patient management, device position and complications caused by transient ...