Clinical Research Office. A partnership between Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Sheffield

Imaging and Nuclear Medicine Support Services

(Medical Imaging & Medical Physics, MIMP)

The first point of contact for accessing MIMP support is your R&D Coordinator, who will liaise with the appropriate contacts to ensure coordinated delivery of support for your research.

The Directorate of Medical Imaging and Medical Physics provides state of the art imaging in support of both commercial and academic research. Our staff are experienced in advanced imaging techniques and provide a complete service from advice on appropriate modalities and investigations, radiation dose assessment and legislative compliance through to image analysis, high quality, comprehensive consultant-led reporting and data archiving.

The directorate has an established research infrastructure, supported by a dedicated research support team of healthcare professionals, which enables patients to progress through the imaging components of a research study in a streamlined way, and ensuring compliance with all necessary governance requirements. All staff undertake GCP training, relevant to their role.

Our imaging facilities include:

  • Multi-slice CT (combination of 64, 32 and 16 slice)
  • MRI (1.5T and access to 3T through our partnership with the University of Sheffield, see below)
  • Gamma cameras (with state of the art SPECT-CT (single photon emission computed tomography))
  • Ultrasound
  • Digital Radiography and Fluoroscopy
  • Angiography
  • Mammography
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET/CT) (provide through Independent Sector on-site service)
  • Medical Photography
  • PET MRI (in partnership with UoS)

All of the directorate's images are archived on a modern Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS), which is fully compliant with the requirements of the National Connecting for Health programme.

The directorate's Nuclear Medicine service provides a state of the art radiopharmacy, with facilities which can support the use of novel and unlicensed radionuclides, for both diagnosis and therapy. It also houses a facility for non-imaging investigations (e.g. Glomerular Filtration Rate, GFR) with sample counting, radiochromatography and associated lab equipment.

A recent addition has been the establishment of a 3D digital imaging laboratory, which provides post-processing support for imaging investigations, enabling image analysis to be undertaken in a quality-controlled environment. The 3D lab provides support for researchers wishing to undertake novel or non-standard image processing and works collaboratively with companies to provide technology assessment, independent verification of clinical software and beta-testing of new software releases. The 3D Lab also provides a 3D Printing service and can produce virtual and printed anatomical models.

The directorate offers a comprehensive imaging service with full range of imaging modalities:

  • A portfolio of Nuclear Medicine non-imaging examinations including GFR, cell labelling and radionuclide therapies
  • Radiation Protection Assessment – IRAS review (MREC)
  • Radiation Protection Assessment – Local Review
  • Preparation and Submission of ARSAC application
  • 3D imaging post-processing for quantitative analysis and visualisation (including 3D printing)

 

Legislative compliance timelines:

  • Radiation Protection Assessment** – IRAS review (MREC): 15 working days
  • Radiation Protection Assessment** – Local review: 15 working days
  • Preparation and submission of ARSAC application** : 15 working days
  • Clinical Radiation Expert (CRE) Opinion** – 15 working days

**Where the Radiation Protection Assessment, ARSAC application or CRE Opinion highlights issues which need a response from the PI or Sponsor, these will be communicated within the 15 working day window. Upon receipt of the response, the turnaround time for sign-off will be within 10 working days unless further clarification from PI or Sponsor is required. In such circumstances MIMP will endeavour to reach sign-off at the earliest possible opportunity.

Contacts

Primary contact
MIMP Research Support Coordinators

Sally Fleming & Bridget Billingham

Room I107
Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Sheffield
S10 2JF

Tel: 0114 2711813

sally.fleming1@nhs.net
bridget.billingham@nhs.net

Please direct initial enquiries to Sally and Bridget and continue to copy them in to all correspondence with colleagues in MIMP.

Please copy your R&D Coordinator into all correspondence with Imaging and remember to always include your STH reference number.

Radiation Protection Assessment for Radiology

IRAS review (MREC) and Local Review
Giles Morrison
giles.morrison@nhs.net

Deputy Contact

Tracy Soanes
tracy.soanes1@nhs.net

Radiation Protection Assessment for Nuclear Medicine

IRAS review (MREC) and Local Review
Tracy Soanes
tracy.soanes1@nhs.net

Deputy Contact

Mark Singleton
mark.singleton5@nhs.net

Clinical Radiation Expert for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine

Dr Eleanor Lorenz
eleanor.lorenz1@nhs.net

 
ARSAC

sally.fleming1@nhs.net

bridget.biliingham@nhs.net

 

PET-CT Service (provided through Alliance Medical Ltd*)
AML Hub
The Woods Opus
40 Business Park
Warwick CV34 5AH
 
Alliance Medical
Sheffield PET CT Clincal Lead
NGH
Sheffield S5 7AU
 
+44 7514 286974
0114 271 5897
 
www.alliancemedical.co.uk

*Clinical Reporting and Scientific Support provided by Sheffield Teaching Hospital clinicians
3D Digital Imaging Processing Laboratory

Dr Peter Metherall
peter.metherall@nhs.net

Deputy Contact

Anna Hallam
anna.hallam1@nhs.net

 

Clinical Trials Radiographer
Sheree Cooper
 
Directorate Research Coordinator for MIMP
Jessica Stockton