Bill Smith: from ultrasound pioneer to OBE
After a storied 45 year-long career as a specialist ultrasound practitioner, Bill Smith was awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List in June 2024. He talks to Synergy about his journey
By Marese O’Hagan
In the UK, receiving an honour from the reigning monarch is considered one of the highest accolades in public life. So how did sonographer Bill Smith feel when he learned he was named on King Charles III’s Birthday Honours List for services to women’s healthcare? “It’s an honour, no question about it,” says Bill, who has spent the last 45 years as a specialist ultrasound practitioner.
In April last year, Bill received the news that his name would be appearing in the official public record The Gazette in June alongside more than 1,000 other awardees across healthcare, sports, fashion and more. He was formally awarded the honour by Princess Anne during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in December.
The work that earned him his OBE was his development of transvaginal ultrasound – a technique that has had a tremendous impact on gynae diagnosis and revolutionised fertility treatments.
Taking a different path
The road to ultrasound pioneer was not pre-destined. Bill had initially expressed an interest in studying medicine but decided on radiography after failing to get the necessary A-level grades. After qualifying initially as a radiographer at the Royal Free Hospital London, he was ready to apply for a bachelor of medicine course at a London teaching hospital, but was instead swayed by the opportunity to take up an ultrasound position at King’s College Hospital with Professor Stuart Campbell.
But it has been a successful road for Bill since he began his training as a radiographer at the Royal Free Hospital London in 1972, qualifying in 1974. In 1977 he obtained a diploma of medical ultrasound qualification from a Middlesex Hospital course, then accepted a post at King’s College Hospital – “a world centre for obstetric ultrasound" – in 1979. There, he worked with Professor Campbell, who led the obstetrics and gynaecology department.
In 1979, Bill returned to the Royal Free Hospital, where he became head of obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound services and founded the DMU School of Ultrasound in 1980. Then he moved on to developing his renowned transvaginal ultrasound technique with Professor Ian Craft between 1983 and 1989. For this, he relocated to Cromwell Hospital and then Wellington Humana Hospital, both in London
'I think we've achieved quite a status in the world of ultrasound'
A pioneer of women’s healthcare
It was Bill’s PA, Ruth Carr, who instigated the process, gathering comments from clinical and industry professionals as well as patients, and compiling a complete history into a booklet before sending it off to the appropriate parties. All in all, the project spanned four years.
Unsurprisingly, with so much under his belt, Bill’s OBE is not his first brush with recognition. “My clinical work has been equally recognised over the years, and as a result I've been recognised by the profession,” he says. These accolades include the inaugural Peter Twining Memorial Award from the British Medical Ultrasound Society in 2009 and honorary life membership to the Royal Society of Medicine.
Although Bill recognises the personal achievement of receiving an OBE, he emphasises that it reflects on the work he continues with his team at CDS Ultrasound (CDS standing for Clinical Diagnostic Services), the scanning and fertility service he founded in 1990. Bill is the head of ultrasound there. “It’s nice for the technique I've helped develop to be recognised worldwide,” he says. “Our record shows that we have a tremendous amount of gratitude shown to us by patients who have benefitted from the kind of technology that I and the CDS team have developed.”
Bill says transvaginal scanning has “revolutionised gynaecological imaging and fertility treatment and early pregnancy assessments”. It’s typically used to explore potential abnormalities in the uterus or ovaries or to examine certain gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis. Alongside transvaginal ultrasound, Bill has gained considerable clinical knowledge in general gynaecology, pelvic screening, pregnancy care and pre-natal evaluations.
Transvaginal scanning has since been adopted internationally, and Bill has travelled globally to educate practitioners on how to correctly carry out the procedure. In 1988, he appeared at the first World Congress in Transvaginal Ultrasound in Washington, US as a principal speaker.
Development of this new method saw Bill become involved in the first egg collection with transvaginal ultrasound. Together, he and Professor Craft also developed ultrasound monitoring and support for recurrent IVF treatments. Despite these achievements, Bill views his career humbly. “I think we've achieved quite a status in the world of ultrasound,” he says.
As well as transvaginal ultrasound, CDS Ultrasound provides breast imaging, investigations into recurrent miscarriage and pregnancy loss and general medical assessments.
Supporting sonographers
Bill founded private clinic CDS Ultrasound after moving away from NHS clinical work. The company has two locations. One sits on Harley Street in London – prime real estate for the UK’s most top-notch private medical services – and the other is in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
Since its inception, CDS Ultrasound has been a breeding ground for developing 2D and 3D transvaginal scanning technology, particularly in conjunction with tech companies. “We started off dealing with Diasonic Sonotron, which was part of Hitachi, and then with Hitachi itself,” he tells Synergy. “We've worked with Siemens. A major breakthrough was working with GE [HealthCare]. We developed their established Voluson imaging system – their transvaginal 2D and 3D system – with them, which has been sold worldwide.”
Bill is particularly proud of the fact that CDS Ultrasound clinics are operated by experienced sonographers, who have achieved “considerable clinical knowledge” in their time working at the clinic along with practical ultrasound and diagnostic skills.
'The clinical impact of imaging diagnosis we've developed is becoming more recognised'
Go for it
Currently Bill and CDS Ultrasound are working very closely with Canon Medical Systems to further develop and improve transvaginal imaging technology. He remains very involved in educational and training aspects as well as the production of Clinical Papers. “Companies are not only developing, advancing and promoting technology that we started, but the clinical impact of imaging diagnosis we've developed is becoming more recognised through clinical practice and through promotion by the manufacturers themselves,” he explains.
So with an OBE now firmly under his belt, would Bill recommend that radiographers pursue ultrasound as a career? Yes, of course. “Radiography does open doors to other elements of the profession,” he says.
“Obviously I'm very biased towards ultrasound, and I feel that radiographers in ultrasound at the moment are greatly undervalued. I think they have the potential to improve ultrasound management and ultrasound diagnosis and to provide valuable support. Not just from a diagnostic point of view, but also from a clinical reporting point of view.”
Plus, the sonographers that run CDS Ultrasound all started out as radiographers. “That’s very important to me,” Bill says.
“We would encourage radiographers to keep pushing their abilities, pushing their wish to move on in terms of education and professional skills. We are very supportive of radiographers and particularly those who move into the world of ultrasound.”
More about ultrasound technology and careers
The SoR has a number of resources for those who wish to find out more about ultrasound, or are thinking of pursuing a career in this area. To access the SoR’s resources on ultrasound – including workforce guidance and information on quality standards – click here. The society also has an Ultrasound Advisory Group, which you can learn more about here.
Getty Images
Read more
Built with Shorthand