Point-of-care devices that address the gap between 2D x-rays and escalation to MRI and CT help speed up diagnosis
A new approach to diagnostic imaging could help ease pressure on NHS emergency departments and fracture clinics, according to consultant radiologist Dr Siân Phillips.
Dr Phillips, whose service was said to be the first in the UK to introduce digital tomosynthesis in a general clinical setting, believes that with outpatient and fracture care pathways under significant strain across the NHS, point-of-care imaging offers a practical and safe solution that aligns with both Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) and the NHS 10-Year Health Plan.
“NHS England’s GIRFT programme identified variation in diagnostic pathways as a source of costly treatment delays, but this is about much more than operational efficiencies in healthcare settings,” Dr Phillips explained. “Where a patient with a suspected scaphoid fracture leaves the minor injuries unit or emergency department with an inconclusive 2D x-ray, for example, the consequences can include unnecessary immobilisation, repeat attendance, loss of
income, delayed diagnosis and, in some cases, preventable long-term morbidity.
“Done well, point-of-care imaging not only speeds up diagnosis for patients but also frees up MRI and CT capacity for those who need it most.”
Dr Phillips points to the Adaptix Ortho350 as a practical example of how the technology can work within existing NHS pathways. The low dose, 3D digital tomosynthesis system requires no radiation shielding, making it portable enough to be deployed at the point of initial clinical contact, such as emergency departments, fracture clinics, outpatient settings or community-based services.
“By addressing the diagnostic gap between 2D x-rays and escalation to higher-end imaging such as MRI and CT scans, the Adaptix Ortho350 can speed up and improve diagnosis while reducing unnecessary use of more time and resource-intensive imaging methodologies,” she explained.
“In high volume pathways such as suspected appendicular fractures or certain soft-tissue injuries, the benefits are significant. If you can improve diagnostic confidence at first presentation, there is real potential to reduce unnecessary downstream referrals, shorten care pathways and support earlier decision making, all of which can improve patient outcomes and aligns with the Government’s three strategic shifts.”
Picture: Dr Siân Phillips.
Read this report on page 9 of the July 2026 issue of RAD Magazine.
