This page is only for clinicians and healthcare professionals to use in order to make a referral to our radiology services.
We will only accept external imaging referrals which meet the referral criteria in the latest RCR ‘Making the best use of clinical radiology’ guidelines (iRefer).
Below is a list of typical effective doses for common X-Ray, CT and fluoroscopy examinations.
All medically qualified doctors with GMC registration can make a referral for a nuclear medicine test. If you are a junior doctor the referring consultant in charge of the patient should be included within the request.
GPs can also make referrals for certain nuclear medicine investigations such as bone scans.
Non-medical referrers within the Trust can also refer for nuclear medicine examinations if approved in line with our imaging requests by non-medical referrers policy.
For all referrals, please make sure that the patient is informed that they will be referred for a test before sending in the referral.
For many tests, a dose of radiopharmaceutical will be ordered in advance for each patient. Where patients cancel at short notice, we are unable to use the dose for another patient. All efforts will be made to process requests as soon as possible upon receipt.
The referrer must provide sufficient clinical information to justify the exposure, including provisional diagnosis, clinical history, and previous radiological history where applicable.
Examinations must be justified under IRMER for referrals involving ionising radiation (in line with iRefer). If any referrer is in doubt as to whether an investigation is required, or which examination is best, they should discuss the case with an appropriate IRMER practitioner, radiologist or nuclear medicine radiographer/technologist, prior to referral.
When insufficient information is given to justify an examination, the referrer will be contacted using the supplied contact details.
For external referrers without access to the electronic referral system, the referral form or clinical letter should be sent to the required department using the details below:
Imaging appointments
Basildon University Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL
Radiology appointments, Broomfield Hospital, Court Road, Broomfield,Essex, CM1 7ET
Alternatively you can email mse.mehtradiology@nhs.net.
Nuclear medicine, Southend University Hospital, Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0RY.
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Please indicate if the patient has ascites, oedema or other expanded body space and the severity
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.05
Dose range = <1
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Ideally patients should avoid taking bile acid sequestrants the day before the first appointment and for the following 7 days as these may interfere with the test results.
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.3
Dose range = <1
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
*Bone scintigraphy may be unhelpful in the context of NAI as it can be difficult to date an injury with confidence for legal purposes.
The referral should identify sites of clinical tenderness / pain.
Dosage
Effective dose = 3.9 + CT dose if SPECT-CT
Dose range = 1-5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
None.
Dosage
Effective dose = 5.5 – 13.5 + CT dose
Dose range = 5.1 to 10 / >10
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Prior to the investigation patients should avoid taking any medications or drugs of abuse which could significantly influence the visual and quantitative analysis of DAT binding ligands - a list of medications needs to be provided.
Dosage
Effective dose = 4.6
Dose range = 1-5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Certain drugs stopped two days prior to scan:
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.9
Dose range = <1
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Contraindicated in patients receiving blood products.
Dosage
Effective dose = 3.6
Dose range = 1-5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
None
Dosage
Effective dose = 2.4
Dose range = 1-5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
None
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.7 – 1.8
Dose range = <1 / 1-5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
The patient should have a clear chest X-Ray within 48 hours, or 24 hours for pregnant patients, and this must be made available.
Dosage
Effective dose = 2.2 – 2.8 + CT dose if SPECT-CT
Dose range = 1-5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
None.
Dosage
Effective dose = 1.1 - 2.2
Dose range = 1.5
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
None.
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.09 – 0.18
Dose range = <1
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.7
Dose range = <1
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
None.
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.7
Dose range = <1
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Dosage
Effective dose = 5.2
Dose range = 5.1 to 10
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Withdraw (under medical agreement) from:
Dosage
Effective dose = 5.2
Dose range = 5.1 to 10
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Stop Octreotide therapy (Sandostatin) under medical advice:
Dosage
Effective dose = 5.9 - 11.9
Dose range = 5.1 to 10 / >10
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Patients must have had multinodular goitre ruled out by ultrasound before they may have an isotope parathyroid scan.
Dosage
Effective dose = 8.1 + CT dose if SPECT-CT
Dose range = 5.9 - 11.9
Indications will include:
Additional instructions
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.1
Dose range = <1
Additional instructions
Dosage
Effective dose = 0.2
Dose range = <1
Additional instructions
None
Dosage
Effective dose = 1.0
Dose range = 1-5
Additional instructions
Dosage
Effective dose = 6.1 –14.3
Dose range = 5.1 to 10 / >10.
Basildon - call 0300 443 0126 option 3.
Broomfield - call 0300 443 0126 option 1.
Southend - call 0300 443 0126 option 2.