The World of Medical Photography

I'm frequently asked 'What is a Medical photographer and what do they do?'

So here's a little insight into just that.......

What is a Medical Photographer?
Medical photographers, also known as biomedical photographers, are those rare individuals who have both a demonstrated artistic ability and a detailed knowledge of scientific processes. They use their skills and abilities to document scientific information that relates to biology, chemistry, medicine, and other health-related subjects. These photographic representations of medical and biological subjects are sometimes used in textbooks, pamphlets, exhibits, instructional films, civil/criminal legal procedures, and teaching models.

They may also document surgical procedures, record a patients medical progress over a period of time, or photograph an autopsy. A major function of the medical photographer is to assist in education and research. They make prints of charts and graphs, digitize images, use photomicrography to allow microscopic objects appear in full detail, and process photographs of many different anatomical areas in an effort to increase understanding of the human body and the diseases that affect it. Medical photographers are increasingly using technology to help them perform their duties. They use the most up-to-date computers and photographic design software, such as Photo Shop, to clarify a variety of complicated medical concepts and processes.

What do you do?
I take pictures of operations and also of patients with particular medical conditions. The pictures are used for teaching publications and for patients' notes, so that consultants can track how a medical condition is developing. These images can include original wounds, progressing conditions like rashes, and surgical procedures. I also work in the pathology lab, photographing autopsies, specimen samples from patients and also specimens on the microscope.

What are your main responsibilities?
I take pictures during operations and at specialist clinics. I do a lot of ophthalmology work which involves taking pictures of people's eyes using a special fundus camera. (A fundus camera or retinal camera is a specialized low power microscope with an attached camera designed to photograph the interior surface of the eye, including the retina, optic disc and macula.)

Fundus camera

Fundus photo

What qualities do you need for your job?

You've got to be friendly and good at dealing with people. Patients can feel very intimidated about having their photograph taken. Confidentiality is vital too and you have to respect the patients privacy. You need to work well under pressure because there are always deadlines to meet.

Why did you choose this type of work?
I have always loved photography but Medical photography is different. I find it fascinating, so I decided to specialize in this field of work. Although the photography definitely comes first, an interest in medical matters is a close second.

Do you need a degree for your job?
Yes, in photography or illustration.

What equipment do you use?
As well as cameras, computers play a big part in our work, especially now that most of the pictures we take are digital. You need to know how to download the pictures onto PCs, and understand the main media computer programs. All the images are stored on a computer database and we have to colour correct them and often put them into computer presentations for consultants.

What are the particular challenges in your work?

You never know exactly what you are going to be photographing and that's what makes it interesting. As with all forms of photography you've got to be on top of all the technical aspects. Lighting is especially important and the pictures need to be as natural and clutter free as possible.

What do you like/dislike about your job?
I love the fact that no day is ever the same and that I use a camera everyday, because that's what I trained to do. Sometimes things can be upsetting and a lot of people will open to you and talk about their illness. But you need to be able to distance yourself.

 Like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get!!!

A quick and easy Damson Relish

Damsons, gages and plums are all stone fruits that thrive in sheltered, warm gardens. Although they all bear the same basic type of fruit, their taste varies from tart and spicy, to sweet and perfumed. All these have their uses, so the final choice is usually a personal one. Damsons are used for a variety of products - from jams, jellies and chutneys to wine and Damson Gin.

Originally damsons came from the area around Damascus, hence the name. Some say the Crusaders brought back damson stones to try in England. Damson trees are often found around sites of Roman camps - perhaps the Romans introduced them to Britain. Damson stones were found in a bag round the waist of a 4000 year-old 'Ice Man' uncovered recently in the Alps. 

Damson stones have been excavated at the Viking Yorvick centre at York. I came across this  damson relish in a very old, recipe book that I found in an antique shop.

Damson Relish

Ingredients

450 g damsons
8 tbsp light soft brown sugar
100 ml water
6 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juice only, or to taste
1 large red chilli, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 vine tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander3 tbsp red wine vinegar

 Wash and remove stalks from  the damsons

Tip the damsons into a large saucepan, sprinkle over the brown sugar and the water

 Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the damsons are tender.

 While the damsons are simmering, mix all of the remaining ingredients together in a bowl.

Season with salt and black pepper and mix well.

When the damsons are cooked and cool enough to handle, remove the stones. 

Discard the stones and tip the damsons into the bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine

Serve warm or cold with hot or cold meats, cold roast chicken or cheeses.

Haunted Blackpool.....read it if you dare!

This is a wonderful book written by the founder of Supernatural Events, Stephen Mercer.

Drawing on historical and contemporary sources and containing many tales which have never before been published, HAUNTED BLACKPOOL will delight every one interested in the paranormal.

Based in Blackpool, Supernatural Events presents amazing experiences including paranormal tours and investigations, clairvoyant evenings, talks and other special events. Originally set up on Hallowe'en 2006 by Blackpool Grand Theatre marketing manager Stephen Mercer for a one-off Ghost Tour at the beautiful Victorian theatre, the tours became so popular that Supernatural Events continued to provide tours there for another year; then more locations were added to its portfolio including Blackpool Opera House, the Winter Gardens complex, Blackpool Zoo, North Pier Theatre and Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks with special tours also held at Blackpool Tower and Pleasure Beach Blackpool.

Stephen Mercer

and now for something completely different.....concept art

'A concept artist is an individual who generates a visual design for an item, character, or area that does not yet exist.'

Here's another layer of me and my artwork. I'm really very blessed to have come from such an artistic family. My great-grandfather was a superb artist and hand-painted the backdrops for the Theatre Royal, Dublin
I also have two extremely talented and successful cousins who are both concept artists and have worked on films such as : -  I ROBOT, WATCHMEN, HULK, 2012, KING  KONG, DISTRICT 9 and many, many more.

Check out these websites for more information:
Warren Flanagan http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1441367/
Paul Flanagan http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1498321/

My following sketches and  final illustration are of a fantastic gift from the sea - CORAL.

 

Doctors Trying Coral for Skeletal Repairs

"FULL fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made . . ." Shakespeare's whimsical notion of a skeleton replaced by reef is turning to reality as doctors are discovering that treated coral seems a near-perfect substitute for bone in reconstructive surgery.
"Bone made from coral makes an excellent replacement," said Dr. Phillip Spiegel, professor of orthopedics at the University of South Florida Medical Center in Tampa, who is using coral in the operating room to repair fractures that need to be bridged with a graft. "I think it is going to become very popular." Plastic surgeons have also used the bone substitute in facial reconstruction, to replace jaws destroyed by cancer, for example.
The doctors have turned to coral because it is "uniquely compatible" with bone, Dr. Spiegel said, and once fixed in place it melds almost seamlessly with the human skeleton.
"Certain species of coral have almost an identical physical configuration to bone, with numerous channels that are interconnected," said Dr. Timothy Miller, a plastic surgeon at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center, who is using the bone substitute in preliminary research. "In our studies, it looks promising. It looks great."

Because the porous coral contains a maze of channels, native bone adjacent to the coral prosthesis sends spicules and blood vessel into the graft, producing a firm permanent seal between the skeleton and the coral. Over time, the coral prosthesis is so permeated with the encroaching bone that, although the coral is dead, the replaced segment of bone is more or less alive.
When Dr. Spiegel sampled bone from areas reconstructed with implants 18 months after reconstructive surgery he found that the coral material accounted for only about a third of the bone volume.
Traditionally, surgeons doing reconstructive surgery borrowed bone from elsewhere in the patient's body, generally from the outer layer of the skull, the ribs or the hip.

 

But surgeons can only borrow limited quantities, and the need to gather bone requires new incisions which in almost 10 percent of patients lead to complications, like infection and pain. "After we take bone from the hip, patients often can't walk well for days or weeks," Dr. Miller said.
Also, he adds, "If you're trying to correct major congenital abnormalities, you really need more bone than you can gather from all three places, anyway." Risks From Cadavers

 

All illustrations are by LORRAINE RIMMER B.A.Hons

Empanadillas

Empanadas or empanadillas (smaller versions) are in, Spain, Portugal, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Philippines, essentially a stuffed pastry. 

The name comes from the Spanish verb 'empanar' meaning to wrap or coat in bread.

Usually the empanada is made by folding a thin circular-shaped peice of dough over the stuffing, creating its typical semicircular shape. Empanadas are also known by a wide variety of regional names.

Most cultures have some sort of traditional "pocket" or meat pie food making it a portable and hearty meal for working people

It's quite simple -- they're very portable, easy to make and, of course, they don't have to be meaty.

Empanadillas de Atun

Ingredients for the pastry

Traditional shape for empanadillas

Ready to start filling the pastry

The filling - tuna, anchovies and egg

Now for the tricky bit.......

Ready for the oven

........and the result!

Tuna empanadillas (Makes about 15)

Pastry
135 grm plain flour
50 grm butter or margarine
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
water

Filling
1small onion, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
100 grm tuna, flaked
I tin anchovies
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
2 hard-boiled egg, chopped
Pinch paprika
2 garlic cloves, chopped

Method
Mix salt into flour and rub in butter as for short crust pastry. Work egg and cheese into mixture to make a dough, using a little water if necessary. Knead lightly, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Soften onion, celery, carrot and red pepper in oil and add garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add tomato and paprika. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Place mixture to one side to cool. Add chopped egg, tuna and anchovies to the cooled mixture.

Roll out pastry thinly, cutting into 3” diameter rounds with a cutter or glass, 1 tsp or so of mixture in the centre of each round, then fold in half, expelling the air and crimping with your fingers. Place on a non-stick tray in a pre-heated of at 200 for 20 mins. Serve at room temparture or cold with a glass of chilled Amontillado.

Saffron and El Porron

SAFFRON

Saffron is derived from the Saffron Crocus Flower species Crocus sativus which belongs to the Iris Family Iridaceae. The parts used for culinary purposes are the stigma or style: the central yellow threads which are, in fact, the female sexual organs of the flower. As there are very few stigma in any one flower, it takes 150,000 flowers to produce one kilogram of dried saffron, making it the most expensive spice in the world.

Since its first documentation in the 7th Century BC, the long and interesting history of saffron traces back over 4000 years and traverses many civilizations, countries, and cultures. Saffron began being used in the middle east and then branched out to conquer hearts worldwide, being utilized as a food seasoning, perfume, hair and clothes dye, and as a medicinal herb. Researchers have shown through historic documents that saffron has its origin in the Zargos mountain range in Iran, where around 1 Kg of saffron was used in the royal kitchen every day.

The word saffron is derived from the Arabic word Zafaraan, it was the Arabs who planted saffron initially in Spain over 1000 years ago when they ruled the region. Although the majority of the world's saffron is produced in Iran, Spain is the world's largest exporter of saffron.



Cooking with Saffron

Saffron is used all over the world to flavour and colour foods from Spanish paella to French bouillabaisse to Arabic lamb and chicken dishes to Indian dessert sauces, as well as in many Swedish and Cornish recipes, but as it's such an expensive spice, it's important to get every bit of flavour out of it. This can be achieved by either toasting and powdering the threads or steeping the saffron ahead of time in hot water or broth.

Your best bet is to go with saffron threads. Not only will they retain their flavor longer, but you will also be assured you have purchased pure saffron.
Powdered saffron is not as strong, tends to lose flavor, and is also easily adulterated with fillers and imitations. Since so little is needed, you will find ground saffron sold in packets of about 1/16 of a teaspoon, and threads equaling about 1/4 gram or 1/2 of a teaspoon. Yet, these seemingly small amounts will often flavor more than one dish.

A major ingredient of a paella is saffron

To Toast Saffron threads, place the strands in a dry frying pan about 30 seconds only or until they begin to give off an aroma. Be very careful not to burn them. Cool and crush finely between two spoons. They can also be dried out in a microwave, again for 30 seconds on high. You can buy ready powdered saffron.

Saffron threads

When using whole threads, steep them in hot water for at least 15 minutes to extract as much flavour as possible. The longer better - up to 4 hours. If using alcohol, there's no need to heat it. Always store saffron in an airtight container in a dark place so it stays viable for longer. You can also buy liquid saffron.

Fabada Asturiana

A popular stew from the Asturias Region in North Spain

Serves 4

Ingredients

550g/1¼ lb Dried White Beans, pre-soaked overnight
2 Onions, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
125g/5oz Bacon, chopped
125g/5oz Jamón Serrano (ham), chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tbsp Paprika
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper
A pinch of Saffron
275g/10oz Chorizo Sausage
275g/10oz Morcillas (Spanish blood sausage)
Water

Method

Drain the beans and rinse well. Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring this to a boil. Remove from heat, and drain again. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole and the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are transparent.

Stir in the tomato paste and paprika then add the drained beans, bacon, ham, and bay leaf. Season with pepper then add 1L/40fl.oz. water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours. Periodically skim any "scum" from the surface.

After the cooking time, add the saffron, chorizos and morcillas and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and more pepper if required. Continue to cook for a further 30 minutes adding a little more water if necessary. Serve hot.

EL PORRON

The porron replaced the original bota bag

A porron, porrón, or porró (Catalan: porró in the singular, porrons in the plural) is a traditional glass wine pitcher used in Spain to serve and drink wine. The idea originated as a replacement to bota bags. Porrones are an old and traditional way to store and to share wine with a group of people. The lack of contact with the lips allows a group of people to share the same vessel without offending their sense of hygiene.

Me attempting to drink from a porron

They can be clear or green glass or clay and keep exposure to the air to a minimum. They are wide at the bottom and have a long, thin neck and usually are fit with corks. At the bottom is a long spout. Hold up the porrón in front of your face with the spout pointing towards you, tilt your head back slightly and raise and tilt the porrón spout toward you. A thin stream of wine comes out and pours directly into your mouth… if you have good aim! Lower the porrón toward your face before you stop drinking or you'll spill wine down the front of you and the tablecloth. It takes a bit of skill, but that only comes with practice !!

The porrón is typically seen in restaurants catering to tourists, old-time taverns, at festivals and at family gatherings. You can buy glass porrones at import stores or on the internet. They make great conversation pieces, fun additions to parties and a great gift for any family or friends who enjoy Spanish cuisine and culture.

"Don't tickle your tastebuds, seduce them..."

Summer Fruit Mess

This is my take on of  Britain's favourite desserts, Eton Mess, which is a traditional summer dish, served on school playing fields at the public school's annual sports day.

You could make your own meringue - it's easy and rewarding, and if this were a pavlova, it'd be a good idea to do so - but for my summer fruit mess, bought meringues work brilliantly.

These are my all time favourites - Cotswold Handmade Meringues

I've made the most of summer berries by using a combination of sweet and tart, rather than just strawberries. Also I used ready whipped cream - makes life that bit easier and my twist on this  'Mess' is  for that extra sweetness and flavour I've added a layer of mango yogurt.

It's such a simple dessert but so lovely - the fresh, sweet berries with the crunchy, slightly chewy meringue against the smooth, soft whipped cream. Yummy !!!

Serves 8
Ingredients
1lb/450gms of strawberries
1lb/450gms raspberries
1lb/450gms blueberries
8 meringue nests
1 large carton whipped cream
1 large carton mango yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
 
Method
Stem the strawberries and wash all the fruit
Add half the raspberries and blueberries into a pan with the sugar and reduce on a low heat
Slice the strawberries but leave at least 16 for decoration
When the raspberries and blueberries resemble a puree remove from heat and set aside to cool
Break the meringue nests into bite size pieces
 
To assemble
Use 8 tall glasses ie: wine goblets
Layer the fruit, cream, meringue and yogurt
alternately until the glasses are full
To decorate: top with the whole strawberries a couple of raspberries and
blueberries and pour over the fruit puree

enquiries@meringues.co.uk

 Cotswold Handmade Meringues

        Terretts Mill, Newmarket Road

     Nailsworth

      Gloucestershire

    GL6 0RF