Clinical Diagnostic/Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine

Unit Code

01455

Department/Institution Offering Unit

Department of Diagnostic Imaging
National University Hospital of Singapore
5 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Main Building, Level 2
Singapore 119074

web: www.nuh.com.sg/index.html

Unit Points

Research Points: 87.5

Coursework Points: 12.5

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Contacts

Unit Coordinator/s:

Prof Lenny Tan
Dept. Diagnostic Radiology
National University Hospital of Singapore
5 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Main Building, Level 2
Singapore 119074

tel: +65 6772 4210
email: lennytan@nus.edu.sg

Dr Yvonne Ho
Head, Nuclear Division
National University Hospital of Singapore
5 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Main Building, Level 2
Singapore 119074

tel: +65 6772 2235
fax: +65 6779 7101
email: Yvonne_Ho@nuh.com.sg

Alternative Contact:

Ms WL Koh
Department of Diagnostic Imaging
National University Hospital of Singapore
5 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Main Building, Level 2
Singapore 119074

tel: +65 6772 4211
fax: +65 6773 0190

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Overall Objectives

National University Hospital (NUH), one of the leading hospitals in Singapore and the Southeast Asian region, is a 900 bed tertiary hospital with a full range of medical services and specialties. It is the main teaching hospital of the Medical Faculty of the National University of Singapore. The Department of Diagnostic Imaging of NUH comprises all imaging modalities and interventional radiology, and includes diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. The department comprises of 16 full and part time radiologists. Our aims:

• To provide the student with training and experience in radiology research. At the end of their attachment, the student would be familiar with the principles of such clinical research
• To enable the opportunity for involvement in literature appraisal, experimental design, data analysis and presentation under an appropriate Principal Investigator
• To appreciate the role of the radiologist in clinical practice by observing diagnostic and therapeutic radiological procedures in the imaging department and by attending regular clinico-radiological and multidisciplinary meetings
• To enhance the student's written and oral presentation skills
• To develop the student's research skills by coursework

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Content

Coursework: Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Research: In radiology, projects are generally carried out in a clinical setting, in collaboration with relevant clinical units. This may occur in one or several of the following areas: oncologic imaging, musculoskeletal imaging, paediatrics imaging, abdominal radiology, neuroradiology, breast imaging, using one or more of the following modalities, including MRI, nuclear medicine and functional imaging, MR spectroscopy, CT, mammography. One of our strengths is correlative imaging, as the nuclear medicine division is an integral component of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging. This is evidenced by some of our sample research topics.

Sample Research Topics:

1. Technetium-99m sestamibi scintimammography for the prediction of multidrug resistance expression and neoadjuvant chemotherapy response in locally advanced/metastastic breast cancer : correlation with dynamic MRI, MR spectroscopy, gene expression and genotyping studies.
2. Use and cost effectiveness of magnetic resonance urography (MRU) in evaluating the urinary tract in paediatric patients with renal disease and an abnormal initial renal ultrasound.
3. Nuclear gastric emptying studies to assess the effect of Tegaserod in bloated irritable bowel syndrome patients.
4. Validation of sentinel node biopsy (assessed by breast lymphoscintigraphy) in operable breast cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
5. Pre-therapeutic CT/MR/Angiography versus Technetium-MAA prior to Yttrium-90 therapy for liver tumours.
6. MR Colonography.
7. Assessment of gastrointestinal hemorrhage using multidetector CT.
8. Assessment of patient outcome post trans-arterial chemoembolisation in hepatocellular carcinoma.
9. MR Spectroscopy of the brain.
10. MR imaging of chondral defect repair using cultured mesenchymal stem cells in humans.

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Assessment Breakdown

Research Component: 87.5 points
Research Report (up to 9,000 words): 75%
Supervisor's Evaluation: 15%
Oral Presentation of research to the department: 10%

Coursework Component: 12.5 points
Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics assessed as per subject description.

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Student Numbers

Number of places available:
1

Prospective students please note: to be eligible for any overseas AMS unit, you must have attained an aggregate of at least 70% in the University of Melbourne medical course.