Diagnostic Imaging

Imaging Examinations at Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Xiamen University I. Basic Disciplinary Overview, Qualifications, and Honors The Department of Radiology of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Xiamen University was established in 1987 when the hospital resumed operations. After years of development, it has become a comprehensive professional department integrating imaging examination, diagnosis, interventional treatment, teaching, and scientific research, and is a key clinical specialty in Xiamen. The department covers approximately 5,000 square meters. In 2003, it took the lead in launching PACS and RIS systems in Xiamen. The advanced RIS and PACS systems and the artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis system with which it is equipped provide information-based support for the efficient implementation of imaging examinations and diagnostic quality control. The department is an authorized training site for master’s and doctoral students in imaging medicine at Xiamen University School of Medicine, a master’s training site in imaging medicine at Fujian Medical University, and a national standardized resident training base. It is also a teaching and internship site for Xiamen University School of Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen Medical College, Fujian Health College, and Zhangzhou Health Vocational College, and is the affiliated institution of the Xiamen Radiological Quality Control Center. II. Core Diagnostic and Treatment Scope The department took the lead in introducing the first CT and MR equipment in southwestern Fujian in 1989 and 1994, respectively, and began their clinical application. The department is now fully equipped with high-end imaging examination equipment, covering the imaging examination and diagnostic needs of diseases in all body systems. Routine diagnostic and treatment projects include: 1. CT examinations: Plain and contrast-enhanced CT scans of all body regions, rapid coronary CTA imaging, multi-site combined angiographic imaging, rapid imaging of the heart and great arteries for the triple rule-out in chest pain, combined head and neck mCTA＋CTP scanning and Fast Stroke color-coded collateral circulation assessment, multi-organ perfusion imaging, low-dose CT screening for early lung cancer, multiparametric spectral CT imaging of tumors, dynamic laryngeal CT imaging for vocal cord motion disorders, inner ear imaging, dual-energy CT imaging for gout, analysis of stone composition, etc. 2. Magnetic resonance (MR) examinations: Plain and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance examinations of all body regions, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), magnetic resonance urography (MRU), magnetic resonance myelography (MRM), brain functional imaging (including diffusion-weighted imaging DWI, perfusion-weighted imaging PWI, diffusion tensor imaging DTI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy MRS), routine cardiac scanning, myocardial perfusion, functional analysis, three-dimensional imaging 3D-MRI, etc. 3. X-ray and special examinations: Digital radiography of multiple body regions, digital mammography, stitching imaging of the spine and long bones of the extremities, intravenous pyelography (IVP), artificial intelligence bone-age analysis, etc. 4. Interventional diagnosis and treatment (DSA): Diagnostic and treatment techniques including drug perfusion and embolization therapy for various tumors, whole-brain angiography, and embolization procedures for certain diseases. III. Featured Subspecialties and Core Technical Advantages Relying on advanced equipment and accumulated technical expertise, the department has established a subspecialty service system centered on clinical needs. It currently has five subspecialty groups: the Central Nervous System and Head and Neck Group, the Cardiothoracic Group (including respiratory, circulatory, and breast imaging), the Abdominopelvic Group (including digestive, urinary, and reproductive imaging), the Musculoskeletal Group, and the Technical Group. It also has 7 distinctive medical platforms: multimodal CT imaging and three-dimensional visualization technology for cerebrovascular disease, 4D imaging assessment of unilateral vocal cord motion disorders, low-dose CT (LDCT) + artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted early lung cancer screening, multiparametric spectral CT imaging technology, high-resolution MR imaging of vessel walls, amide proton transfer (APT) imaging technology, and three-dimensional arterial spin labeling (3D ASL) technology. Imaging diagnosis and assessment of vocal cord motion disorders has reached the domestic leading level. The featured technologies currently available include: (I) Cardiovascular and Neuroimaging The department can perform rapid coronary CTA imaging, rapid imaging of the heart and great arteries for the triple rule-out in chest pain, combined head and neck mCTA＋CTP scanning and Fast Stroke color-coded collateral circulation assessment, plain cardiac magnetic resonance scanning, myocardial perfusion and functional analysis, multi-sequence brain functional imaging, and brain functional research in chronic diseases, providing imaging support for the precise diagnosis of acute and chronic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. (II) Oncology and Spectral Imaging Relying on high-end CT equipment with multiparametric spectral imaging capabilities, the department conducts multiparametric spectral CT imaging of tumors, multi-organ perfusion imaging, and research on clinical tumor staging and prediction models, providing multidimensional imaging evidence for early detection, qualitative diagnosis, and efficacy assessment of tumors; it can also perform low-dose CT screening for early lung cancer, supporting early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. (III) Specialized Functional and Special-Region Imaging The department can perform specialized examinations including dynamic laryngeal CT imaging for vocal cord motion disorders, detailed inner ear imaging, dual-energy CT imaging for gout, urinary tract stone composition analysis, and magnetic resonance hydrography of all body regions (MRCP, MRU, MRM), meeting the precise diagnostic needs of special regions and special diseases. (IV) Breast and Bone Health Imaging Equipped with a digital mammography unit, the department performs screening and diagnosis of breast diseases. It uses artificial intelligence technology for intelligent bone-age analysis and can also perform stitching imaging of the spine and long bones of the extremities, providing imaging support for assessment of skeletal system diseases and evaluation of children’s growth and development. (V) Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment Relying on large DSA equipment, the department performs emergency interventional hemostasis for various hemorrhagic diseases and minimally invasive panvascular interventional treatment, including drug perfusion and embolization treatment of tumor vessels, whole-brain angiography and interventional embolization for related diseases, as well as interventional procedures involving multiple systems, including neurological, hepatobiliary, peripheral vascular, and cardiovascular systems, providing technical support for minimally invasive disease diagnosis and treatment. IV. Multidisciplinary MDT Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment and Whole-Course Management The department actively participates in clinical multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and treatment. Relying on its full range of imaging examination technologies and diagnostic capabilities, it provides whole-process imaging support for disease diagnosis, treatment-plan formulation, and efficacy follow-up for all clinical departments, and undertakes consultation tasks for difficult and complex cases from the hospital, Xiamen, and neighboring regions. Several department experts are members of the Fujian Provincial Lung Malignant Tumor Development Center and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center. As key team members, department personnel have won second prize in a national MDT case competition. The RIS and PACS systems with which the department is equipped enable digital storage and retrieval of imaging data. All imaging examination images are uploaded to the PACS system in real time, enabling online resource sharing. The systems can support clinical imaging consultation for difficult cases, pre- and post-treatment imaging assessment, and comparison of follow-up images, providing patients with continuous imaging diagnostic services and whole-process imaging data support for visits, reexaminations, and consultations. V. Talent Team and Expert Strength The department has a sound professional and technical personnel echelon with a rational configuration. It currently has more than 120 medical, technical, and nursing staff, including 40 with senior professional titles, including 1 doctoral supervisor and 5 master’s supervisors; 12 chief physicians, 8 deputy chief physicians, 11 deputy chief technologists, and 9 deputy chief nurses. In terms of educational structure, 6 hold doctoral degrees and 30 hold master’s degrees, forming a complete talent echelon covering diagnostic, technical, and nursing positions. The expert team includes 1 deputy group leader and 3 group members of the Chinese Medical Association Imaging Technology Branch; 1 group member of the Chinese Medical Association Radiology Branch; 1 member of the Cardiovascular Imaging Specialty Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association; 1 group member of the Tumor Imaging Specialty Committee of the China Anti-Cancer Association; 1 deputy director of the Tumor Imaging Specialty Committee of the Fujian Strait Cancer Prevention and Treatment Scientific Exchange Association; 1 standing committee member of the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Specialty Committee of the Fujian Stomatological Association; 1 standing committee member and 4 committee members of the Imaging Branch of the Fujian Association of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine; 2 deputy group leaders and 6 group members of the Fujian Radiological Society; 1 standing committee member of the Imaging Technology Branch of the Fujian Medical Association; 1 deputy director and 3 standing committee members of the Xiamen Medical Association Radiology Society; 1 vice president and 2 standing committee members of the Radiology Branch of the Xiamen Physicians Association; 1 vice president and 1 standing committee member of the Radiology Branch of the Xiamen Association of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine; 1 deputy director of the Specialty Committee of Imaging Medical Safety and Quality Management of the Xiamen Preventive Medicine Association; 1 deputy director and 1 standing committee member of the Imaging Technology Branch of the Xiamen Physicians Association; 1 standing committee member of the Interventional Radiologists Branch of the Xiamen Physicians Association; 1 expert in the review of foundation projects of the Fujian Provincial Department of Science and Technology; 1 expert in the review of degree theses for the Ministry of Education; 1 medical and health expert in labor-capacity assessment in Xiamen; 1 editorial board member of Chinese Journal of CT and MRI; 1 visiting scholar at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, USA, and the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong’s Queen Mary Hospital; 1 expert sent to Africa; and 3 experts sent to Ningxia and Xinjiang. They provide professional support for clinical diagnosis and treatment in all imaging subspecialties. VI. Coordinated Development of Medical Care, Education, and Research (I) Medical Services The department is equipped with domestically advanced imaging examination equipment, including 8 DR X-ray machines, 3 digital gastrointestinal machines, 1 digital mammography unit, 9 high-end multidetector spiral CT scanners (including 3 high-end CT scanners capable of multiparametric spectral imaging: the Philips IQon Spectral CT, the Siemens Somatom Definition flash dual-source CT, and the GE Revolution256 CT), 5 large DSA units, and 6 high-field-strength magnetic resonance scanners (including high-end MRI systems such as the Philips 3.0T DNA, Philips 3.0T CX, and Siemens Verio 3.0T). Together with the RIS and PACS information systems and the artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnosis system, these ensure the efficient and accurate implementation of various imaging examinations and meet clinical and patient needs. (II) Teaching and Training As a teaching and internship site for multiple medical colleges and a national standardized resident training base, the department undertakes theoretical teaching, clinical observation, and internship supervision for the MBBS Radiology and clinical medicine programs for international students at Xiamen University School of Medicine; Medical Imaging Diagnosis in certain departments of Fujian Medical University; and Medical Imaging Technology at Xiamen Medical College, Fujian Health College, and Zhangzhou Health Vocational College. It has trained more than 60 graduate students, more than 3,000 students in various standardized training and internship programs, and more than 50 trainees from municipal- and county-level hospitals and community health service centers. There are currently more than 20 standardized trainees and master’s students in the department. For many consecutive years, the department has hosted the provincial- and municipal-level continuing education program “Haixi Imaging Workshop,” building an exchange platform to improve the capabilities of regional imaging professionals. (III) Scientific Research and Innovation The department has a solid research foundation. It has led and completed 2 General Program projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and, as the principal contributor, has received 7 provincial and municipal science and technology progress awards. It has applied for and received approval for multiple national, provincial, and municipal research projects, and has participated in multiple multicenter project studies and 985 projects led by institutions including Beijing Friendship Hospital and Hospital 301. Team members have participated in the compilation of more than 10 academic works as editors-in-chief, deputy editors-in-chief, or editorial board members, and have published more than 100 academic papers at or above the provincial level, including more than 60 indexed in SCI. Department personnel actively participate in national and provincial academic conference exchanges, academic presentations, and imaging professional competitions. They have won 2 first prizes and 3 excellence awards in national imaging professional competitions, 1 second prize, 3 third prizes, and 2 excellence awards in Fujian imaging professional competitions, and 1 third prize in a national imaging technology competition. VII. Summary of the Department’s Core Advantages 1. Complete qualification platforms: As a key clinical specialty in Xiamen, the department has qualifications for training master’s and doctoral students and for serving as a national standardized resident training base. It is a designated teaching and internship site for multiple medical colleges, with a solid foundation for integrated development of medical care, education, and research. 2. Adequate scale and configuration: The department covers approximately 5,000 square meters and is equipped with a full range of high-end imaging examination equipment, supporting information systems, and AI-assisted diagnosis systems. The number and performance of the equipment meet the needs of various routine and specialized imaging examinations. 3. Rational talent echelon: The professional-title and educational structures of the medical, technical, and nursing team of more than 120 people are complete. The combination of high-level talent and young and middle-aged key personnel is rational, covering all positions in imaging diagnosis, technology, and nursing and ensuring the quality of medical services. 4. Comprehensive technical coverage: Examination projects cover the full range of CT, MR, X-ray, and interventional diagnosis and treatment. The department can perform various distinctive technologies, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular imaging, tumor spectral imaging, functional imaging of special regions, and AI-assisted diagnosis, meeting the imaging diagnostic needs of diseases in all body systems. 5. Solid teaching and research achievements: The teaching and training system is mature, and a large number of imaging professionals have been trained for the region. There is a clear record of achievements in national projects, science and technology awards, academic papers, and professional competitions. VIII. Department Vision The department will continue to rely on its existing platform and advantages in personnel and equipment, further improve its subspecialty system, enhance the accuracy and service efficiency of imaging diagnosis, strengthen disciplinary research and teaching capabilities, help improve the regional level of imaging diagnosis and treatment, provide more reliable imaging support for clinical diagnosis and treatment, and provide the majority of patients with higher-quality, efficient, and precise imaging examination and diagnostic services.