Our People

Dr Siavash Es'haghi

Managing Director / CEO

MB ChB FRANZCR, NIOSH Accredited B-reader

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a Director and Radiologist at Lungscreen.

He is also the founder and former Managing Director/CEO of Imaging Queensland.

He established Imaging Queensland in 2007 and was instrumental in the company's successful growth strategy. He has over 14 years of experience in developing and managing diagnostic imaging businesses.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a NIOSH qualified B reader, performing lung screening services for the Queensland industrial sector, performing ILO and ICOERD classifications for chest X-ray and CT imaging of the lung, respectively.

Dr Es'haghi served on the board of the Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association (ADIA) and was the president of ADIA from 2017 to 2019.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a highly qualified radiologist and has completed an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA). He obtained his medical degree at the University of Otago (NZ) and was accepted as a fellow of the RANZCR in 1993.

Clinical Bio

Dr Es'haghi obtained his medical degree at the University of Otago (NZ) in 1993 and was accepted as a fellow of the RANZCR following his training at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Dr Es'haghi's experience as a Radiologist is enhanced through his completion of a fellowship in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). He specialises in lungs and Occupational Lung disease.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a NIOSH qualified B reader, performing lung screening services for the Queensland industrial sector, performing ILO and ICOERD classifications for chest X-ray and CT imaging of the lung, respectively.

Dr Es'haghi served on the Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association (ADIA) board and was the president of ADIA from 2017 to 2019.

Helen Stevens

Founder, Executive Director

Helen Stevens is the Founder of Lungscreen Australia and has had an extensive executive career in leadership and CFO/COO roles within the healthcare industry for over 12 years.

Helen was previously the chief finance and operations officer of Imaging Queensland from 2010 to 2020. Helen also spent six years with Ramsay Health Care in a senior commercial/finance position.

Helen has studied a Bachelor of Business Commerce (Accounting), and she holds an Executive Master of Business Administration.

Helen is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and served the board of Directors for the Sunshine Coast Oncology Seminars (SCOS).

Dr Nigel Sommerfeld

Clinical Director – Lungscreen Australia

MBBS (Qld) FRANZCR, NIOSH B-Reader

Dr Nigel Sommerfeld is a co-founder and Radiologist specialising in lung malignancy and occupational lung disease. He is the Clinical Director of Lungscreen Australia. He has participated extensively in redesigning the Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme through his work with the Coal Mine Dust Lung Disease Collaborative and the RANZCR.

He is a NIOSH-accredited b-reader for ILO grading of chest radiographs. He is also an advocate for CT screening for Lung Cancer. He has provided radiology representation for Thoracic Malignancy MDTs and trans thoracic lung biopsies for almost 20years, both in Sunshine Coast and Central Queensland.

Clinical Bio

Dr Sommerfeld completed his undergraduate medical training at the University of Queensland and pursued his radiology specialist training at the Mater Public and Princess Alexandra Hospitals in Brisbane. Winning the Uhr-Clarke Bursary in 2003, Dr Sommerfeld became a fellow of RANZCR in 2004.

He specialises in lung malignancy and occupational lung disease. He is the Clinical Director of Lungscreen Australia. He has participated extensively in redesigning the Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme through his work with the Coal Mine Dust Lung Disease Collaborative and the RANZCR.

He is a NIOSH-accredited b-reader for ILO grading of chest radiographs. He is also an advocate for CT screening for Lung Cancer. He has provided radiology representation for Thoracic Malignancy MDTs and trans thoracic lung biopsies for almost 20years, both in Sunshine Coast and Central Queensland.

Christian Ryan

Business Development Manager

Christian has been a part of the Medical Industry for over 25 years, having completed his degree in Diagnostic Medical Imaging at the University of Newcastle in 1996. He has worked in public and private sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom, gaining experience in tertiary interventional radiography, MRI and CT. CT became Christian's area of expertise, spending five years as a CT Applications Specialist for Toshiba Medical.

In 2014 Christian moved away from the clinical arena to pursue a career in the medical business. As an Account Manager with Toshiba and Canon Medical, Christian successfully developed trusting relationships with clients to provide ongoing solutions across multiple disciplines of the medical industry.

Advancing to Siemens Healthineers as a CT Product Manager saw increased responsibility, allowing more profound insights into commercial policy and developing complex sales and marketing strategies across Australia and New Zealand.

As the Business Development Manager for Lungscreen, Christian's goal is to bring all this experience together to work with stakeholders to ensure that lung health is successfully promoted with governments, employers, and the health industry. Christian's focus is driving effective, affordable, and scientific-based lung screening programs across Australia and New Zealand to ensure better patient outcomes for populations at risk.

Dr Debbie Pfeiffer

Advisory & Research

Debbie is a medical graduate from the Flinders University of South Australia and a Fellow of the Australasian Society of Breast Physicians (ASBP). From 2005 to 2015, she was Medical Director, BreastScreen Queensland Sunshine Coast, and in 2017-2018, Senior Medical Officer in the Cancer Screening Unit, Queensland Health. Debbie was Executive Director, Division of Medicine for the Sunshine Coast Health and Hospital Service from 2001-2004. Previously, she worked for many years in general practice and public mental health services.

Debbie was an accredited surveyor for BreastScreen Australia and has extensive experience in population screening, diagnostic imaging for breast cancer, quality assurance and program evaluation related to breast screening. Debbie's broad background in clinical medicine and health administration assists Lungscreen Australia with preparation for participation in a lung cancer screening program.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi

Managing Director / CEO

MB ChB FRANZCR, NIOSH Accredited B-reader

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a Director and Radiologist at Lungscreen.

He is also the founder and former Managing Director/CEO of Imaging Queensland.

He established Imaging Queensland in 2007 and was instrumental in the company's successful growth strategy. He has over 14 years of experience in developing and managing diagnostic imaging businesses.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a NIOSH qualified B reader, performing lung screening services for the Queensland industrial sector, performing ILO and ICOERD classifications for chest X-ray and CT imaging of the lung, respectively.

Dr Es'haghi served on the board of the Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association (ADIA) and was the president of ADIA from 2017 to 2019.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a highly qualified radiologist and has completed an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA). He obtained his medical degree at the University of Otago (NZ) and was accepted as a fellow of the RANZCR in 1993.

Clinical Bio

Dr Es'haghi obtained his medical degree at the University of Otago (NZ) in 1993 and was accepted as a fellow of the RANZCR following his training at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Dr Es'haghi's experience as a Radiologist is enhanced through his completion of a fellowship in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). He specialises in lungs and Occupational Lung disease.

Dr Siavash Es'haghi is a NIOSH qualified B reader, performing lung screening services for the Queensland industrial sector, performing ILO and ICOERD classifications for chest X-ray and CT imaging of the lung, respectively.

Dr Es'haghi served on the Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association (ADIA) board and was the president of ADIA from 2017 to 2019.

Dr Nigel Sommerfeld

Clinical Director – Lungscreen Australia

MBBS (Qld) FRANZCR, NIOSH B-Reader

Dr Nigel Sommerfeld is a co-founder and Radiologist specialising in lung malignancy and occupational lung disease. He is the Clinical Director of Lungscreen Australia. He has participated extensively in redesigning the Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme through his work with the Coal Mine Dust Lung Disease Collaborative and the RANZCR.

He is a NIOSH-accredited b-reader for ILO grading of chest radiographs. He is also an advocate for CT screening for Lung Cancer. He has provided radiology representation for Thoracic Malignancy MDTs and trans thoracic lung biopsies for almost 20years, both in Sunshine Coast and Central Queensland.

Clinical Bio

Dr Sommerfeld completed his undergraduate medical training at the University of Queensland and pursued his radiology specialist training at the Mater Public and Princess Alexandra Hospitals in Brisbane. Winning the Uhr-Clarke Bursary in 2003, Dr Sommerfeld became a fellow of RANZCR in 2004.

He specialises in lung malignancy and occupational lung disease. He is the Clinical Director of Lungscreen Australia. He has participated extensively in redesigning the Coal Mine Workers Health Scheme through his work with the Coal Mine Dust Lung Disease Collaborative and the RANZCR.

He is a NIOSH-accredited b-reader for ILO grading of chest radiographs. He is also an advocate for CT screening for Lung Cancer. He has provided radiology representation for Thoracic Malignancy MDTs and trans thoracic lung biopsies for almost 20years, both in Sunshine Coast and Central Queensland.

Dr Catherine Jones

MBBS, BSc, FRCR, FRANZCR

Clinical Bio

Catherine graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics at the University of Queensland in 1997 and subsequently from medical school at the University of Queensland in 2001, before undertaking surgical and radiological training in the UK. She then completed a sub-specialty radiology fellowship in Vancouver, Canada, in cardiothoracic radiology.

Catherine obtained her B reader qualification from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) from the United States, part of the CDC network. Catherine looks forward to making a significant and ongoing contribution to this important health initiative.

Dr Amit Sidana

MBBS, DMRD, FRCR (UK), FRANZCR NIOSH accredited B-reader

Clinical Bio

Dr Amit Sidana, FRCR, FRANZCR, obtained his early radiology training in India. He then completed The Fellowship of Royal College of Radiology (FRCR) in the United Kingdom and gained admittance to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiology (RANZCR) in 2013. He has special interests in Occupational Lung Disease and Lung imaging and is committed to ongoing professional development in diagnostic radiology.

Dr Sidana is NIOSH accredited B-Reader.

Dr Johan Weilbach

MB ChB Mmed, (RadD) FRANZCR NIOSH Accredited B-reader

Clinical Bio

Johan Weilbach (Fritz) graduated from the School of Medicine at the University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1985.

Fritz trained in radiology at the University of the Free State and at Universitas, National and Pelonomi Hospitals, Bloemfontein (1991–1995). He has worked as a diagnostic radiologist in South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

Dr Weilbach has special interests in lung imaging and is a NIOSH accredited B-reader.

Dr Ramya Krishnan

MB:BS, DNB, FRANZCR NIOSH Accredited B-reader

Clinical Bio

Dr Ramya Krishnan graduated from the academy of medical in India in 2001.

Ramya then completed the Royal Australian and New Zealand college of Radiologist in 2011.

Ramya completed her fellowship in Chest imaging at the Royal Perth Hospital in 2010.

Ramya has a keen interest in lung cancer and occupational lung disease and attained the NIOSH B reader certification in 2018.

Viola Nicolson

MBBS, FRANZCR, NIOSH Accredited B-reader

Clinical Bio

Dr Nicolson graduated from the University of Queensland in 1980 and completed her fellowship of the RANZCR in 1995.

Dr Nicolson has special interests in occupational lung diseases and lung cancer. She obtained her NIOSH certification in 2019.