Northumbria Healthcare adds mammography chairs to ensure comfort during examinations
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has taken delivery of two types of mammography chair from Wolverson X-ray, at Hexham, Wansbeck and North Tyneside general hospitals.
Superintendent radiographer Katie Quigley said: “Since receiving the model 8200 mammography chairs, we have found positioning immobile or unsteady patients a lot easier. Because the chair is lightweight and small, we have found it very easy to position patients for their mammogram while maintaining comfort. The adjustable height allows safe transfer for patients and allows mammographers to adjust the chair to a manageable height for them also.
“The Akrus biopsy chair has benefitted our patients greatly during stereo guided biopsies; because the backrests adjust we are able to get patients into a comfortable position before the biopsy, preventing patient movement and distress. The height is adjustable and lies fully flat, benefitting aftercare.”
The Akrus model is made of several segments including a moveable headrest that allows various comfortable positions seated or lying down, while the 8200 Mercardo Medic model is compact, so it is useful in smaller screening rooms, and offers an electric backrest for comfortable positioning. “Since a mammography examination can be an emotional experience for the patient, it is important to use the right equipment that will make the examination effective and as pleasant as possible,” says Wolverson X-ray. “Some patients need to stay seated through the entire consultation and it is easier to get images right if the patient is in a stable, ergonomically correct seated position. Both models provide this and have a smooth and steady electric up and down movement with adjustable backrests.”
Picture: Senior radiographer Diane Phillips, superintendent radiographer Katie Quigley, radiology assistant Caitlin Emmerson, Wolverson X-ray sales manager Gurpal Matharu and radiology assistant Lesley Jassal.
Published on page 9 of the October 2021 issue of RAD Magazine.