Interventional Radiology

At the Centre for Medical Imaging, we are concerned with interventional oncology, vascular intervention, and image-guided intervention.

New imaging technique enables us to tell surgical mesh from body tissue

Prototypes of surgical meshes that can be seen clearly on CT scans have been developed by researchers at UCL for the first time, promising to increase the speed at which problems can be diagnosed and resolved. This could mean significant time and cost savings for health services, as well as the patient welfare benefits resulting from fewer or shorter surgeries.

Full story

Surgeons in scrubs and full protective equipment operating on a patient

Radiological assessment of ventral hernias

With surgical collaborators (Mr Sam Parker & Mr Alastair Windsor), we secured a grant from the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit scheme to investigate how the imaging of large ventral hernias may be best placed to help patients undergoing abdominal wall reconstruction.

This work has produced multiple publications that have:

  1. clarified the terminology used for surgical reconstruction (notably the anatomical plane into which a mesh is placed)
  2. identified deficiencies with the reporting of surgical research in this area
  3. investigated radiological and non-radiological predictors associated with reherniation following surgery.

Lead investigator: Professor Steve Halligan

CT Colonography

CT Colonography

Experts

Prof. Steve Halligan

Prof. Steve Halligan

Selected publications

  1. Kumar S, Rao N, Parker S, Plumb A, Windsor A, Mallett S, Halligan S (2022). Are preoperative CT variables associated with the success or failure of subsequent ventral hernia repair: nested case-control study. Eur Radiol. 2022 Sep;32(9): 6348-6354.

  2. Parker SG, Halligan S, Berrevoet F , Windsor ACJ, Mallett S (2021). Reporting guideline for interventional trials of primary and incisional ventral hernia repair. Br J Surg. 2021 Sep 27;108(9): 1050-1055.

  3. Parker SG, Mallett S ... Windsor ACJ, Archer L, Halligan S (2021). Identifying predictors of ventral hernia recurrence: systematic review and meta-analysis. BJS Open. 2021 Mar 5;5(2):zraa071. Erratum in: BJS Open. 2021 May 7;5(3): zrab047.

  1. Parker SG, Halligan S, Erotocritou M, Plumb AAO, Warren OJ, Windsor ACJ (2020). What exactly is meant by 'loss of domain' for ventral hernia? A survey of 100 surgeons. ANZ J Surg. 2020 Mar;90(3): 205-207.
  2. Parker SG, Halligan S, Liang MK ... Windsor ACJ (2020). International classification of abdominal wall planes (ICAP) to describe mesh insertion for ventral hernia repair. Br J Surg. 2020 Feb;107(3): 209-217.
  3. Parker SG, Halligan S, Erotocritou M ... Windsor ACJ, Mallett S (2019). A systematic methodological review of non-randomised interventional studies of elective ventral hernia repair: clear definitions and a standardised minimum dataset are needed. Hernia. 2019 Oct;23(5): 859-872.