Interventional Radiology Training Unit for Scotland
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Interventional Radiology Training Unit For Scotland: An audiovisual network solution

Dr Graeme Houston

Head of University Department of Radiology, Dundee

Introduction

The development of alternative techniques to traditional surgery using imaging systems and new instrument and appliances has resulted in the fields of Interventional Radiology and Minimal Access Therapy. The safe performance of interventional radiological techniques depends on high standards of training.

In Scotland, in order to ensure maintenance of these standards in laparoscopic surgery, the Minimal Access Therapy Training Unit for Scotland (MATTUS) was formed in 1992 by the Scottish Royal Colleges. The centre, or "hub" of this system is the Surgical Skills Unit in Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee. Its aim is to provide and promote quality training based on two basic elements:

  1. Skills training with hands-on experience of component and procedure- related skills within approved courses in laboratory setting.
  2. Expert clinical preceptorship by appointed clinical consultant tutors during minimal access procedures within designated units in various Scottish hospitals.
There has been recent discussion within the British Society of Interventional Radiologists (BSIR) and the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) about training in Interventional Radiology. As well as identifying the requirements for initial training, the requirements for "up dating" established interventionalists in new techniques is required. The aim of the workshops, "live" study days, courses and BSIR meetings is to fulfil this need.

The link of an Interventional Radiology Training Unit for Scotland (IRTUS) to the MATTUS facilities to is proposed to integrate those procedures performed under radiological image guidance with the standards of training in endoscopic or laparoscopic guidance currently provided.

For example, The IRTUS would offer the range of systems-based procedures under radiological image guidance:

  • Vascular - arterial/venous - angioplasty, stent/graft, embolisation, thrombolysis
  • Hepatobiliary - biopsy, drainage, stent, in situ ablation
  • Urological - biopsy,drainage, stent
  • Gynaecological - biopsy, drainage, tubal recanalisation
  • Oncological - biopsy, insitu ablation, drug delivery
  • Neurological - drainage, vertebroplasty, discectomy
The Interventional Radiology Training Unit for Scotland will have three elements:
  • Interventional Radiology Skills Units
  • Laboratory based skills unit
  • Video Network linking the centres.

Interventional Radiology Skills Units

Initially in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, expansion of the participating sites is planned to include other centres in Aberdeen, Glasgow etc. The skills units consist of dedicated Interventional/Angiographic rooms and portable colour doppler ultrasound units, integrated into an Interventional Radiology Suite with local access to CT, MRI and further ultrasound units. Interventional suites are linked both geographically and audiovisually to seminar/demonstration rooms with full multimedia presentation facilities allowing both online audiovisual contact with the suite and fluoroscopic or ultrasound output display.

Laboratory Based Skills Unit

The integration of Interventional Radiological procedures into the existing laboratory facilities in the Surgical Skills Unit in Dundee, provides access to a unique radiological teaching environment. This unit concentrates on the development of practical skills with extensive "hands on" training on synthetic and animal tisssue models using the identical instrumentation used in clinical interventional radiology procedures.

Video Network

An existing video training network has been constructed to link seven training hospitals throughout Scotland to the three Scottish Royal Colleges and the Surgical Skills Unit MATTUS laboratory training facilities. This allows live clinical video material transmission to participating centres, multipoint transmission of courses and special events being included in the system. Teleconferencing for regular case discussion, workshop etc is also provided within the network and externally. The IRTUS project would link to this network providing a national resource for Interventional Radiology Training.

The Scottish Interventional Radiology Network would allow regular case discussion between trainees, regular e.g. quarterly workshop orientated teaching and the more comprehensive Scottish Interventional Radiology Course. In addition links to the Royal Colleges of Surgeons, Physicians and Radiologists would allow a wider audience to surgeons, physicians for further familiarisation of clinicians to the potential of interventional radiology.

IRTUS Home | Scope 2: The Video System

IRTUS Sponsors: AVE, Bard (UK) Ltd, Boston Scientific Corp., Cordis, Merck, Philips Medical Systems, Siemens Medical Engineering
 
Last Update: 7th March 1999