In Vivo Research and Development: 1976–1986

Abstract

As from 1976, a major re-equipment programme was initiated at the Institute by Ell, the present director. With the passage of time, some of the existing apparatus had become obsolete, no modern Anger gamma camera or data processing equipment was available and whole body imaging facilities were rather limited (Figs. 17,18,19,20). Despite the increasing difficulties in attracting NHS funds for the provision of a clinical service, the next 5 years saw a substantial fund-raising programme being launched. This permitted the Institute to meet the challenge posed by a very rapidly changing specialty and the emerging clinical applications of single photon emission tomography (SPET) and nuclear cardiology. The Special Trustees of the Middlesex Hospital and the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust supported a number of important research projects: within 5 years, a new large field Anger gamma camera and associated computer system, a second small field of view gamma camera, a dedicated SPET unit for tomography of the brain, and a dedicated SPET unit for tomographic studies of the whole body, were acquired. This represented fund raising (Figs 20,21) equivalent to a grant of over £300,000.