Department of Radiology and Organ Imaging at United Christian Hospital (UCH) is both a service and training centre consisting of more than 100 professional personnel as well as other dedicated supporting staff. We provide comprehensive services in various modalities including radiography, fluoroscopy, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), mammography, nuclear medicine and interventional radiology (IR). Addition of positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scanner is being considered in the current hospital expansion project.
 
Department of Radiology and Organ Imaging provides both diagnostic and interventional services. We perform diagnostic studies for all body regions and all age groups with available modalities. Oncological imaging is increasingly important and surveillance, diagnostic, staging and post-treatment studies are provided for optimal patient management. We offer diverse IR services, ranging from round the clock life-saving vascular embolization procedures to cancer treatment such as transarterial chemo- or radioembolisation and thermoablation for hepatocellular carcinoma. Artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly utilised in Radiology and Organ Imaging and is currently used in acute stroke imaging at UCH to expedite the diagnostic pathway for patients who may be benefited from intra-arterial thrombectomy.
 
As an accredited training centre, we provide training in General Radiology, Breast Radiology, Gastrointestinal & Hepatobiliary Radiology, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Thoracic Radiology and Vascular & Interventional Radiology.

Plain X-ray Service

Service highlight:

X-ray is a form of ionizing electromagnetic radiation. X-ray is absorbed in different amounts by different body tissues, depending on their density. The detector receives the X-ray passing through the body to generate a grayscale image. The gray levels depend on the photons’ energy. X-ray is useful in medical diagnoses such as lung lesions, urinary stones, fractures, osteoporosis, arthritis. The probability of tissue damage from the low-dose plain X-ray is very low.
  • United Christian Hospital (UCH) in-patients, SOPD and AED patients
  • Yung Fung Shee Memorial Centre (YFSMC) out-patients

Service achievement:

  • Implemented emerging AI technology to aid bone age estimation

Fluoroscopy Service

Service highlight:

Utilises X-ray to obtain real-time moving images of the human interior to diagnose various body system disorders including gastrointestinal, urinary and biliary systems. 
 

Service achievement:

  • Provides evaluation of results of emerging operations such as Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM)

Interventional Radiology Service

Service highlight:

Interventional Radiology (IR) utilises minimally invasive techniques through the insertion of catheters, wires, and other medical instruments through small incisions or punctures in the skin, diagnosing and treating various medical conditions, including cancer, biliary system disorders, urinary system disorders, vascular diseases, etc. Round the clock life-saving vascular embolization procedures are also provided.
 

Service achievement:

  • Provides advanced treatment options for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) such as Yttrium-90 Selective Internal Radiotherapy (SIRT-Y90).

Nuclear Medicine Service

Service Highlight:

Radionuclide Imaging: use small amounts of radioactive material called radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose a wide range of conditions affecting various organs, such as the heart, skeleton, lungs, brain, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract.
 
 Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA): DXA is a fast and painless procedure that uses a very low dose of radiation to provide accurate and precise measurement of bone mineral density. Nuclear Medicine Unit offers DXA service to diagnose the condition of osteoporosis.
 

Service achievement:

  • Provides Multiple Gated Acquisition scanning (MUGA) to selected oncology patients as MUGA is a gold standard for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) for cardiotoxicity risk assessment prior to, surveillance during, and after administration of potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment.

Computer Tomography Service

Service highlight:

Computed Tomography (CT) uses a rotating X-ray tube and rows of detectors placed in a gantry to measure X-ray attenuations by different tissues inside the body and processed on a computer to produce cross-sectional images. Two multi-slice CT scanners are located in the CT suites to provide routine out-patient services during office hours and extended non-office hours, and round-the-clock CT services for in-patients and AED patients. 
 

Service achievement:

  • Implemented emerging RAPID AI technology to aid efficient diagnosis of acute stroke cases.

Ultrasound Service

Service highlight:

Ultrasound scan is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the body. In total, 8 ultrasound machines serve both diagnostic and interventional exams, e.g. routine abdominal studies, contrast-enhanced ultrasound especially for hepatic lesions, ultrasound-guided biopsy, aspiration and drainage, breast ultrasound, musculoskeletal ultrasound etc. 
 

Service achievement:

  • 2020 Team Spot Award (Radiology Sonographers Team and Medical Physics Workshop) - United Christian Hospital
    • Create a portable transparent panel to enhance infection control measures during COVID-19 outbreak
 

Mammography Service

Service highlight:

Together with the Kowloon East Cluster Breast Centre, we provide One-Stop Clinic services for the patients who are highly suspicious of having breast cancer, so that they can obtain clinical and diagnostic services on the same day. We also hold regular Triple Assessment Meeting with the Surgery and Pathology Departments for optimal patient management.
 

Service achievement:

  • The department has been accredited as one of the breast imaging training centres by the Hong Kong College of Radiologists in 2022. New services are provided recently including Breast MR imaging, localization of clinically occult breast lesions by Savi Scout radar localization device and radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) to facilitate breast surgery and patient management.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Service

Service Highlight:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) makes use of a combination of magnetic field system, radiofrequency waves and data processing system to generate diagnostic images of body tissues, organs and structures. The 1.5 Tesla MR scanner provides wide range of imaging services to both in- and out-patients including the following. 
  • Brain, head and neck imaging
  • Abdomen and pelvis imaging
  • Musculoskeletal and spine imaging
  • Cardiac Imaging
  • MR angiogram imaging

Service achievement:

Recently provides additional MR Breast imaging service
Department photo with selected professional personnel: radiologists, radiographers, nursing staff and medical physicists.
Chief of Service with Department Manager and Senior Radiographers.
Chief of Service with Medical Physicists.
Chief of Service with Ward Manager.