01/09/84   

Drs Neil Morrison, Sue Craw & Gillian Morris purchased the practice of Dr Basil de Lambert at 483 George Street, Dunedin. Alison Martin was appointed Charge Radiographer. Plain Xrays and barium examinations were provided from what had been a double garage.

1986

An ultrasound service was established with the purchase of a Technicare (?? 2000) and Jill Muirhead was employed as sonographer.

1988

MCM took over the practice of Dr Ross Smith who then worked for the partners. His High Street practice was closed but the Mosgiel branch was included into the practice. The partners took over the responsibility for the Xray service to Mercy Hospital (then "The Mater").

1989

The practice moved to premises in the new Marinoto Clinic at Mercy Hospital. The mammography service was established.

1992

A contract was obtained from the Otago Hospital Board for a weekly reporting session at Balclutha Hospital and an ultrasound service using a portable Aloka 500.

1993

The practice incorporated as Otago Radiology Ltd.

1994

The rural ultrasound service was extended to the Frankton Medical Centre and Dunstan Hospital, Clyde.

1996

Dr Ian Kendall-Smith's shares in Southland Xray Services Shares were purchased and it was renamed Southland Radiology. Don Yeaman remained a shareholder and Charge MRT.

The first teleradiology link was established to view urgent Xrays from Invercargill.

Dr James Fulton joined the group.

1998

When the first local Community Hospital Trust - Clutha Health First - opened in Balclutha, Otago Radiology won the contract for Xrays and ultrasound.

Dr Smith retired and Dr Crichton Prain was employed.

Dr Josie Parker joined the group, working at Southland Radiology.

IANZ Accreditation was first obtained.

DEXA Scanning was offered in Invercargill.

1999

The second Community Hospital Trust - Gore Hospital - opened in May with Otago Radiology supplying Xray services.

The final branch for a Community Hospital Trust Hospital opened in December at Dunstan Hospital for Xrays and ultrasound. Radiologists started travelling to Dunstan Hospital for twice monthly barium sessions.

Mammography was introduced in Invercargill.

2000

A private CT service was offered by Otago Radiology using time purchased on the CT scanner at Dunedin Hospital.

2001

The Queenstown branch opened in the new premises of Queenstown Medical Centre. This was the first branch to dispense with film and the dark room. The first digital radiography unit was a Kodak CR800.

Dr Gabriel Lau joined the group.

2002

Digital transmission of ultrasound images from the machines at Balclutha, Dunstan & Queenstown to the viewers in Dunedin was introduced.

Dr Grant Meikle joined the group.

The Marinoto premises underwent a major refubishment.

DEXA service was offered at Dunedin.

2004

Dr Sally Chartres joined the group.

2005

We expanded into Suite 23 on the lower ground floor of the Marinoto Clinic to allow the installation of a Philips Achieva 1.5 Tesla machine to initiate the Otago Radiology MRI service. DEXA was relocated.

The new Dunstan Hospital opened.

Upgrade of computer software to COMRAD 2.

2006

Dr Amy Fong joined the group.

2007

When PACS was installed in October enabling digital storage of all images, the process of phasing out film was begun.

Otago Radiology won the contract for radiology reporting at Oamaru Hospital.

A room at Wanaka Medical Centre was rented for an ultrasound service. Otago radiology now had 7 ultrasound machines, predominantly GE Logiq models.

2008

Digital radiography was introduced at Dunedin in January and the majority of radiology reporting was now done with computers.

Southland Radiology moved to new expanded premises in Yarrow St in February, adding digital radiography and ultrasound to the range of services

Dr Greg Harkness and Dr Michael Reddy joined the group.

Suite 23 at Marinoto Clinic was extended to accommodate a CT suite with a Siemens Evolution 16 CT scanner so the CT service was now in house and CT Colonography was added to the range of procedures offered.

2010

Otago Radiology Ltd merged with Pacific Radiology Group Ltd. Dr Tony Young of PRG joined the OR board.

The old film store was converted into the 4^th Ultrasound Room.

Dr James Letts joined the group.

2011

A full Wanaka branch opened in the new Wanaka Lakes Health Centre with ultrasound and digital radiography.