Page 2
Duke Hospital, InterCom
(Duke Photo by Sparks)
Dr. Reeves demonstrates image amplifier.
These amplifiers are used to reduce radia
tion exposure to both patient and radiolo
gist. The instrument requires about 75
per cent less current to get a satisfactory
fluoroscopic image than does the conven
tional fiuoroscope.
was at Duke ]I(;s])ital that tests for
study of the rastro-iiitestiiial tract
with isotopes were developed in con
junction with the Departments of
Medicine and Surgery. With mem
bers of the Pediatrics Department,
studies liave been made of the use of
radioisotopes in the dia^^nosis of con
genital heart disease in infants and
children.
Anotlier major operation in the
Isotope Laboratory focuses on re
search : development of the isotoj)e
fat test; development of the radioiso
tope test for kidney function ; investi
gation, in conjunction with the Di
vision of Dermatology, of the applica
tion of isotopes in the study of the
function of the skin in health and
disease. The Department of Surgery
has collaborated in an investigation of
the use of isotopes in evaluation of
diseases of the pancreas. Studies
have been made, also with the Depart
ment of Surgery, of the status of the
gastro-intestinal tract in large groups
of patients who have had gastric sur
gery.
One important function of the Iso
tope Laboratory is the training of
both graduate physicians and techni
cians. For graduate physicians two
courses have been given, each provid
ing three weeks of intensive work in
the Isotope Laboratory. At the end
of this training the physicians are
qualified to set uj) their own labora
tories. With 6 students in each group
thus far, the geographical range was
from New Hampshire to Florida.
Evidence of the importance at
tached to training in this area is the
fact that the physicist for the Duke
Medical Center Isotope Laboratory,
Aaron P. Sanders, is on loan for nine
(Duke Photo hy Sparks)
Dr. William F. Barry at the bi-plane
angiocardiographic unit. Used in congeni
tal heart cases prior to treatment or surgery,
this instrument takes two sets of fast x-ray
pictures of the heart and great vessels after
injection of iodide.
months to Argentina to help set up
in that country a basic isotope pro
gram.
Angiocardiography, another field of
work in the Dc'partment of Radiology,
|)rovides another tool for iiivestiga-
«r
I
Dr. George
counter used in
(Duke Photo hy Sparks)
Baylin with the isotope
the study of kidney function.
(Duke Photo hy Sparks)
John B. Cahoon, Technical Director of the School of X-ray Technology,
points out to student technicians, Laura Smith and Conrad Rich, the geo
graphical distribution of the School’s graduates.