The Department of Radiological Sciences and Diagnostic Imaging of the MCU FDT Medical Foundation Hospital is a premier provider of diagnostic radiology services and education. It is an exemplary radiology facility multi-awarded by the Bureau of Health Devices and Technology of the Department of Health with highest level Star Awards.
Through the years, the Radiology Department kept its high level of performance headed by top radiology practitioners. In its early years, first department chairman Dr. Federico Principe, a founding member of the Philippine College of Radiology (fondly called the Magnificent Seven) established the premier association of radiologists in the country aimed to enhance and chart the development of the specialty. Dr. Antonio Mar B. Pacifico, a young and dynamic radiologist succeeded him followed by Dr. Jose Lapena, a pre-eminent gastrointestinal radiologist, aside from being general radiologist. He is an educator who started radiology residency training with graduates who are now practicing in different parts of the country.
From its humble beginning of just simple radiography equipment, a fluoroscopy and radiography system was acquired with mobile radiography equipment. The current chair, Dr. Pedro Danilo J. Lagamayo succeeded Dr. Lapena. He is active not only in the practice of the specialty but also in the academe and in the organization of radiologist who served as the president of the Philippine College of Radiology and the Ultrasound Society of the Philippines. He was the first ultrasound specialist in the hospital beginning with a simple ultrasound equipment to top of the line equipment equivalent to the ones used in first world countries.
The number of specialists have been part of its roaster of specialists such as Dr. Hernando Olonan , Dr. Francis Villanueva , Dr. Melanie Rafael, Dr. Ramon Asuncion., interventional Radiologist, Dr. Mirasol Q. Pahutan , Dr. Josefina Marbella, a graduate of our residency program together , Dr. Edwin Angeles, Dr. Jerome B. Mondala and Dr. Brenda Policarpio. Specialists are trained not only in diagnostic radiology, ultrasound but also in CT scan.
The first CT Scan that was installed in the hospital was conventional equipment which was eventually replaced by a spiral CT scan that is also known as helical CT Scan. This equipment can complete a head examination in less than a minute. Such speed of examination also results in clearer images and thinner slices that improves resolution of images and their diagnostic accuracy.
To further improve efficiency of examinations and hasten the delivery of services, from film based a digital imaging system was adopted, the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). This innovation brings us up to the level of the best hospitals in the world. This will allow remote viewing of studies for faster application of treatment. The dark and cramped darkroom is now a thing of the past and instead we have digital facility that stores and processes images that will save us a lot of storage space that was meant for the radiographs.
The department even at the time of its inception was manned by dynamic radiographers supervised by various chief technologists namely Mr. Dionisio Lim, Ms. Andrea Guinto, and at present the indefatigable Mr. Noel Galguerra, who now leads not only diagnostic radiographers but also radiographers who are specialists in ultrasonography and CT Scan imaging.
Technologists are primarily trained in CT scan imaging and ultrasound. Soon to be offered are additional imaging facilities such as mammography that is digital based and MRI a much sought after diagnostic equipment in the diagnosis of stroke and other central nervous system ailments and also useful to ailments in many other parts of the body.
Surely, from its humble beginning, the department has gone a long way in providing important imaging services, education and research to the medical community and look forward to brighter future through more advanced facilities to better serve the community.