The Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences Department’s Diagnostic Ultrasound Programme recently received a generous donation of two ultrasound systems from Schnetler, Corbett and Partners (SCP) Radiology - a donation which will significantly enhance student training.

The private radiology practice has consistently shown strong support for student training and clinical education.

The donation represents a significant boost to the programme as it will enhance the ability of lecturers to train students more effectively and provide them with increased hands-on learning opportunities, according to Dr

Maria Hartnick, the programme coordinator for Diagnostic Ultrasound.

The additional equipment will also enable the department to expand its student intake, helping to address the growing demand for ultrasound training in South Africa.

The Ultrasound team, which consists of Hartnick, Geordean Schwartz and Carmen Batt expressed their gratitude to SCP Radiology for their ongoing commitment to education and their meaningful contribution to strengthening the programme.

Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, A/Prof Nicole Brooks attended the handover of the new systems and thanked SCP for their donation and contribution to student training.

Written by CPUT News
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About 100 students are receiving a daily meal from a feeding scheme initiative run by the Radiography clinical departments at Tygerberg Academic and Groote Schuur hospitals (GSH) in partnership with the CPUT’s Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences (MITS) Department.

The project was started after Estelle Herbert, the MITS Department’s co-ordinator of the BSc Diagnostic Radiography programme at Tygerberg, delivered a talk for radiographers at the hospital on how students were coping and what challenges they might be facing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Herbert said Tygerberg Hospital staff wanted to know how they could assist the students, which prompted her to do a survey, across all four disciplines, at all hospitals involved in clinical training of CPUT radiography students.

“What came out was that students did not even have a proper meal.”

The radiography staff at the two hospitals and staff of the MITS Department decided to support the students by launching a feeding project.

Radiography staff members at Tygerberg Hospital, Bardene Dreyer, Daphne Manyamala and Theresa Afrikaner, and Nazlea Behardien-Peters and her team of radiographers at Groote Schuur, facilitate the project. Herbert and Dr Merlisa Kemp, Head of the MITS Department, are facilitating the support from MITS who provide non-perishable items to the Radiography clinical departments for use by students in need.

Kemp said the radiographers in the Radiography clinical departments took the initiative to donate bread, spreads, non-perishable items as well as to make soup and sandwiches for students in need.

“Approximately 100 students are reached and meals are provided every day, mainly at lunch time where the responsible staff, together with a few volunteers, will make sandwiches,” Herbert said.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Two academics in the Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences (MITS) Department have been honoured with outstanding reviewer awards by the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences.

The recipients were Diagnostic Radiography lecturers Kathleen Naidoo and Gerhardus Koch

Naidoo, who joined the Department in 2019 said she has been a reviewer for two years and was honoured to receive the award.

“I have reviewed a large number of articles with a special focus on qualitative research in radiography as this is my area of expertise in research. I am very excited to receive this award as the journal is a highly recognised journal in international radiography research publications. This award is only given to four reviewers each year, so it is quite an honour to be acknowledged by the journal for my work.”

Koch, who joined CPUT in 2021, received the award within his first year of working with the journal.

“As a young academic, this award has motivated me to work even harder towards reaching my professional goals. It really is an amazing feeling to be recognised for the work that you do and that from an international, DHET accredited journal. I am happy to have made a difference and to have contributed positively towards my profession.”

Dr Merlisa Kemp, head of the MITS Department, said Naidoo and Koch have done outstanding work.

“I am immensely proud of the MITS staff who, despite the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, still managed to produce approximately 30 research outputs, which include research articles and e-book chapters. The Department also celebrated the achievement of Dr Aladdin Speelman, who was awarded his Doctorate in Radiography in December 2022.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Department of Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences (MITS) recently hosted two students, Julie van Herck and Sien Paelinckx from Odisee University in Brussels, Belgium on a four-month clinical internship.

The MITS Department and Odisee University have an eight-year international exchange collaboration.

Guiding the students’ clinical training journey from January to April 2024, was Dr Aladdin Speelman, the international exchange programme coordinator in the MITS Department. Prior to commencement of the exchange programme, Speelman played an integral role in ensuring the registration of students with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and orientation within the Groote Schuur Hospital, amongst others. During the 2024 exchange programme, Speelman was supported by three academics within MITS department – Valdiela Daries, Yanda Peters and Heidi Thomas.

During their time in Cape Town, Julie and Sien completed clinical training in the Radiography department at Groote Schuur Hospital. They gained experience in a wide range of procedures including imaging of trauma patients and those with uncommon and rare diseases, often not seen in developed countries such as Belgium.

The two students’ experiences extended beyond the hospital environment. They had the opportunity to interact professionally and socially with CPUT students and academics, they travelled the Garden Route and explored the picturesque Cape Winelands while enriching their understanding of diverse South African cultures.

In March this year, the exchange programme saw Peter on a staff exchange to Odisee university. Peter spent a week at Odisee University and participated in teaching Odisee students during clinical tutorials on Angiography and Interventional Procedures. “I was thrilled to discover that our programme matched the standards of Belgium, a first-world country, especially in terms of the content covered in the afore-mentioned topics. This enabled me to actively engage and contribute meaningfully during tutorials, despite encountering some language challenges”.

Looking into the future, the four-month exchange period marks the continuation of a promising collaboration between CPUT and Odisee University. Through continued partnership, the MITS Department aims to create opportunities for Radiography students to visit Belgium in the near future.

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