What Does the Mater Children's Medical Imaging/X-ray Department Do?

Mater Children's Medical Imaging/X-ray provides a broad range of general and complex radiology services for paediatric patients who are in hospital and those who come for examinations as outpatients.

Services include X-rays, ultrasound scans, fluoroscopy, computed tomography and MRI (see information on specific examinations for more details).

The department may also arrange for children to have nuclear medicine studies (isotope scans) performed at other hospitals.

How Does Radiology Help My Child?

Radiology imaging helps doctors see and make judgements about parts of the body that cannot be seen or felt externally. These tests help doctors understand what is happening inside our bodies (e.g. what is not working properly and why) so they can advise on the best treatment for the problem. Radiology studies may help the doctor confirm or exclude possible causes for a child's symptoms.

Why Do Children Need Specialist Radiologists?

Specialist paediatric radiology staff understand children's bodies—how they move, where they are sensitive, what diseases and problems they experience that adults don't. They know how to work with the child and parents to achieve optimal imaging. The breadth of skills and knowledge required for paediatric medical imaging means our radiologists are expertly equipped to interpret scans and report more accurately on the results.

Two full-time dedicated paediatric radiologists manage the case load of Mater Children's Medical Imaging/X-ray Department.

The department is staffed by experienced paediatric radiographers (medical imaging technologists) trained to ensure that children are examined in an appropriate and child-friendly way.

Are X-rays Safe for Children?

The amount of radiation used to produce a conventional X-ray image is extremely small and has not been proven to cause harmful effects to children or adults.

The effects of radiation from repeated X-rays accumulate over a lifetime, so radiologists consider the patient's total exposure and weigh up the risks before performing further X-ray tests. Techniques and technology are very sophisticated these days, significantly reducing the risk of excessive exposure, which is known to cause radiation sicknesses (such as blood disorders and skin problems).

If you have any concerns about X-ray safety, please talk to the radiographer or radiologist.

Contact
Our 24 hour, seven day service means most urgent radiological examinations can be performed without delay.

Non-urgent examinations are performed between 8:30 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday, with referrals from GPs accepted from 8 am.

Reception (general enquiries): +61 7 3163 8311
Radiologist: +61 7 3163 8169

Level 4 of Mater Children's Hospital,
Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane