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UCT Research Report '11
366
Contract Research Staff
Part-time clerical research assistants (data managers)
Mrs Glynis Chilcott
Mrs Sue Giles
Miss E Nel
Mrs Jean Wilmot
Mrs Rae Taylor
Contact Details
Postal address: Division of Radiation Oncology, Groote
Schuur Hospital & University of Cape Town, Observatory,
7925, South Africa
Telephone: +27 21 404 4263/5
Fax: +27 21 404 5259
E-mail: Raymond.abratt@uct.ac.za
Division of Radiology
Head of Division: Professor Stephen James
Beningfield
Divisional Profile
The Division of Radiology works closely with clinical
colleagues and their patients throughout the hospital, both
in service and academic capacities. This collaboration
involves all major medical, surgical, therapy and women’s
health areas, including their subspecialties. The recently
acquired multi-slice CT is heavily utilised, especially for
vascular and thoraco-abdominal problems. Red Cross is
making good use of their new MRI and CT scanners. There
is now also some exposure to PET-CT scanning in the
private sector. Links to Somerset and GF Jooste Hospitals
remain strong, with some teaching activity also at Victoria
Hospital. The experience of our post-retirement sessional
staff continues to benefit the Division. The impact of the
full conversion to digital radiology over the next year is
expectantly awaited.
The outcome of the recent implementation of the
Occupational Specific Dispensation on the hospital in
general has been positive in certain ranks. Interest in
supernumerary registrar posts from within and outside the
country remains strong.
Teaching
Postgraduate
This major activity continues, with new inputs from the
University, Colleges and the HPCSA having significant
roles. More structured teaching, regular assessments and
revised examination structure plus obligatory theses are
now reality. The division is currently close to the end of an
upgrade and complete refurbishment process to convert
into a fully digital radiology unit, with the advent of a formal
Picture Archival and Communication Systems (PACS) and
Radiology Information System (RIS) around the corner.
This will have a major beneficial effect on the manner and
quality of postgraduate teaching and supervision, both in
radiology and other specialties.
Undergraduate
Regular weekly structured teaching sessions continue,
with the case-based multidisciplinary meetings in various
specialties allowing both under- and post-graduate
students to see the impact of imaging on clinical-decision
making
Research
There are a number of collaborative and self-initiated
projects running, with the recent requirement for a thesis or
dissertation leading to increased interest. The consequences
of digital imaging and newer modalities remain strongly
felt, with diversification of interests. These continue to
be largely on the basis of combined collaboration and
multidisciplinary applied clinical research, together with
some basic research that is also being undertaken in MRI
and digital mammography. There is a good prospect of a
full body 3T MRI being installed soon.
Service
The increase in service load, particularly on the multislice
CT’s, are placing an increased demand on reporting
time. An attempt is being made to run three CT scanners
during the day. The hope is that the PACS will allow more
efficient distribution of the resulting reporting work. Close
interaction with UCT PAH clinical service adds another
aspect to the work undertaken.
Social responsiveness
There is ongoing collaboration with a number of the closer
satellite hospitals, most notably GF Jooste, New Somerset
and Victoria, but also II Military Hospital (with significant
recent equipment upgrades), as well as with the newly-
developed and refurbished regional hospitals such as
George, Worcester and Paarl, Khayelitsha and Mitchells
Plain, that are likewise converting to digital imaging and
PACS.
Publications
These are mostly on the basis of close clinical collaboration
and applied research, although some more basic MRI and
digital radiography research has been published.