4 Notes from the Chair
6 Industry News
Clinical Engineering/Physics Focus
14 Lasers, Safety and Training – The optical hazards of lasers
16 Maintaining Phototherapy Unit – A clinical engineering and medical physics collaboration
18 Positron Emission Tomography – Diagnosing early-stage atherosclerosis
24 Neuro Technology Mobile Experience Beaumont Hospital host technology event
26 Advances in machine operated speech EEGs and their role in creating machine-operated speech
30 Department Development – Expansion at the Biomedical Engineering Dept. in University Hospital Kerry
32 Solutions in Water Treatment – Water softener innovation in the 1920s
33 Neurosciences at Beaumont Hospital – A career in neurosciences
36 Advances in Foetal Surgery – New treatment options and improved outcomes for conditions such as Spina Bifida
38 New centralised RO Unit at Letterkenny Hospital – A report on the new unit
40 Phototherapy – Phototherapy for jaundice in newborns
Foreword
NOTES FROM THE CHAIR
Welcome to the Summer 2023 edition of Spectrum Journal, which includes a focus on the collaborative work between clinical engineering departments and our colleagues in medical physics. Within this issue readers can find lots of insightful reports, as well as latest news and research.
On page 14, Josette Galligan offers an introduction to the optical hazards of lasers, the requirements of the Health and Safety Legislation and the recommended laser safety training. On page 16, Maryla Oshodi discusses the collaborative efforts by clinical engineering and medical physics in maintaining the hospitals phototherapy unit.
Also included in our Focus section this month is a report from Sarah Meaney on the role of positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of early-stage atherosclerosis; and Brian Clancy reports from a recent Neuro Technology Mobile Experience at Beaumont Hospital.
Elsewhere, Alyssa McCann examines EEGs and their implementation in creating machine-operated speech for the verbally impaired; Jacinta O’Brien gives an overview of the recent expansion of the Biomedical Engineering Department in University Hospital Kerry; Mark Keating reflects back to when his grandfather started working on his first water softeners in 1923; Maebh Smith reports on the exciting challenges of a career in neurosciences; Mark Power outlines how advances in foetal surgery offer new treatment options for conditions such as Spina Bifida; Chloe Chillault-Bellard reports on the new centralised RO Unit serving three departments in Letterkenny University Hospital; and I provide some insight into the use of phototherapy lights to treat severe jaundice in newborns.
Don’t forget also that our next BEAI Annual Scientific Conference will be held in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork on September 29th and we look forward to seeing you all there,
Wishing you an enjoyable summer,
Eoghan Hayden
BEAI Chairperson