Left to right, Mr Christoph Lees, Consultant in Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine,
Dr Trish Chudleigh, Superintendent Sonographer from St Thomas' Hospital, London,
and Naomi Lockwood, who agreed to be scanned for the course.

A unique course in ultrasound scanning has taken place at Addenbrooke's, providing junior doctors and registrars with the skills and knowledge to perform accurate scans of women in pregnancy.

Using the latest equipment provided by Siemens, the doctors are able to perform basic scans without supervision by the end of the week-long course.

Normally doctors gain experience in ultrasound on an 'ad hoc' basis, but this is believed to be the only course of its kind in the country where junior doctors receive formal, intensive training, under close supervision by consultants and ultrasonographers.

Mr Christoph Lees, Consultant in Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, one of the course directors, said: “By the end of the week delegates are confident in basic scanning techniques. It means that patients are scanned in a much more safe and competent way."

Women who are between 12 and 34 weeks pregnant volunteer to be examined, and are scanned exactly as they are for their routine scans, except that the scan time is extended to one hour.

Christoph Lees continued: "The women have been extremely positive and are always very keen to come on the course, which is fantastic because without them we would not be able to run it."

 

Last updated: 23 January 2006