The medical field is always evolving and becoming something better and stronger. In the imaging world
there are so many different modalities where it is important to use them and understand what is going on. With generic x-ray, there has been so many changes within the last ten years or so. The changes have consisted of starting with film screen, cassette readers to the present and most commonly used now, digital. Radiographers have to be knowledgeable about these changes along with many other things that play a role in this field such as, patient care, radiation safety, techniques, positioning, the procedure and the body habitus of the patient. Learning about these things are very crucial for the radiographers and the patients.
X-ray technologists are more than the generic “button pushers” as
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people have called them in the past. Coming from an x-ray technologist herself, Beth Weisman (RT) wrote a whole article about how we are more than being a button pusher she said “Yes, I do push a button, but I went through two years of schooling that involved learning the inner workings of the human body and the x-ray camera before I could acquire a license to push that button.” (Weisman) I I could not agree more with this sentence from her article. One of the many importance’s of being an x-ray tech is understanding that the patient body habitus and what is causing them the discomfort or pain before the start of the exam. To do something like this, you need to ask the patient questions about what is wrong, what caused this, where is the pain mostly located. Once you have gotten some information you are able to move on to position the patient. This brings me to the next important piece of becoming a part of the radiography field. Positioning. Depending on what is wrong with the patient, you have many different ways to position the patient, for an example the most common radiographed body part is the chest(radiologyinfo). If the patient is able to stand they will need to go over to the upright bucky, this piece of equipment holds either the cassette or flash pad to help take them image. When positioning for a chest x-ray you need to have the patient in a PA position. PA stands for posteroanterior. That is when the chest is touching the bucky and the back is further away, than the patient wraps their arms around the bucky kind of like they are hugging it and roll their shoulders forward. By rolling the shoulders the scapula on both sides is now out of the lung field. Now, the final step to a chest x-ray, breathing instructions. The patient will take a deep breath in, blow it out and take one more big breath in and hold it so the lungs are full of air. The information about the chest x-ray can be found in Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures, 13th Edition. Another very important, probably the most important is radiation safety and setting the proper technique.
When taking images, it is important to know what you are taking images of. It is important because depending on the size and pathology of the patient you need to set the proper technique which gives the radiation dosage to the patient. If you have a child who is six years old and has a wrist injury, you will not be giving them the same amount of radiation as you would for a 30-year-old patient who its getting a hip x-ray. By understanding the techniques an how to set the proper kVp and mAs for any sized patient it would help save the dosage they are going to receive. The second important thing to know about radiation safety is to shield a patient. By shielding a patient, the technologist is providing a lead apron of some kind to help protect the most common radiation sensitive body parts. At Maine College of Health Professions, they teach students that is does not matter if the patient is 102 or 2, shielding must be a priority. Those body parts are the thyroid, reproductive organs for both male and female and breast tissue for growing
females. Along with the other two topics the last but most important part of being an x-ray technologist is patient care. As an x-ray tech the encounters with patients are short and brief, unlike a doctor who continuously sees a patient and gets to see them on a daily basis. Just because the encounters are short does not mean that they do not deserve the best care they can receive. Providing patient care is something so simple as a smile some days. Learning patient care from Maine College of Health Professions, it is expressed that patient care should begin with the very first counter. The first encounter is the introduction between the patient and the technologist. When the technologist walks to the waiting room for an outpatient and calls the name of the patient, there should be a smile on their face and be friendly. The next encounter is in the room, if the patient is in an excruciating amount of pain it is helpful if the tech is compassionate and does anything they can to make them more comfortable on the hard x-ray table. Once they are positioned to reassure the patient that they will be okay and to hold still to get great images the first time. Lastly, when the images are complete that making sure the patient is all set, see if they have any questions and tell them to have a wonderful day. By these small things the technologist is providing great patient care. Being a good technologist is doing as little as possible but to be a great technologist it is helpful to try to provide the best patient care, making sure the patient is safe, and positioning correctly. It just comes to show that x-ray technologists are more than people who press a button.
the effective doses from diagnostic CT procedures are typically estimated to be in the range of 1 to 10 mSv. This range is not much less than the lowest doses of 5 to 20 mSv estimated to have been received by some of the Japanese survivors of the atomic bombs. These survivors, who are estimated to have experienced doses slightly larger than those encountered in CT, have demonstrated a small but increased radiation-related excess relative risk for
In the radiology profession first you must write the patient’s file. This includes information about insurance, medical history, what the required x-ray is for and where it is going to be taken on the body. Writing in this way is similar to writing a small research paper. You must do research on the patients and there history and what insurance they have. Writing the report is important because the information must be accurate so the patient can be helped as much as possible. If the information about medical history is incorrect it can cause a huge problem for the patient. For example, if the patient is claustrophobic they would need to get an open room x-ray where the patient isn’t in an enclosed tube so they don’t have a panic attack and potentially injure themselves and others. It is very important to make sure the report has the correct area of where the x-ray needs to be taken. Having the wrong part of the body x-...
Today I’m going to inform you about X-ray Technology its history and how it been advancing since it’s been invented. Also will inform you how it is currently helping doctors and their patients.
The role of the radiologist is one that has undergone numerous changes over the years and continues to evolve a rapid pace. Radiologists specialize in the diagnoses of disease through obtaining and interpreting medical images. There are a number of different devices and procedures at the disposal of a radiologist to aid him or her in these diagnoses’. Some images are obtained by using x-ray or other radioactive substances, others through the use of sound waves and the body’s natural magnetism. Another sector of radiology focuses on the treatment of certain diseases using radiation (RSNA). Due to vast clinical work and correlated studies, the radiologist may additionally sub-specialize in various areas. Some of these sub-specialties include breast imaging, cardiovascular, Computed Tomography (CT), diagnostic radiology, emergency, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), musculoskeletal, neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, pediatric radiology, radiobiology, and Ultrasound (Schenter). After spending a vast amount of time on research and going to internship at the hospital, I have come to realize that my passion in science has greatly intensified. Furthermore, both experiences helped to shape up my future goals more prominently than before, which is coupled with the fact that I have now established a profound interest in radiology, or rather nuclear medicine.
Modern medicine is capable of treating a tremendous range of human disease and injuries, but the usefulness of all medical specialties depends on accurate diagnosis. Virtually every conceivable medical specialty relies on radiological technologies to provide formal diagnoses, making radiology one of the most important of all medical specialties. Radiologists enjoy some of the best working conditions in modern medicine and typically experience very positive employment conditions. Consequently, their services are generally in very high demand, with many starting out with six-figure annual incomes immediately after completion of their professional training.
Radiology technology is a science of using radiation to produce images. There are many jobs you can perform in diagnostic imaging usually a radiologic technologist will oft...
Radiation therapists work closely with patients to fight cancer. According to Health Care Careers, Oncologists, Dosimetrists and nurses are some of the professionals that a radiation therapist works with while caring for a cancer patient. This group of professionals will determine a specialized treatment plan. The first step usually includes a CT scan performed by a radiologist to find the exact area that needs to be targeted with x-rays. Next, the therapist uses a special machine that emits radiation called a Linear Accelerator. They use this machine during a treatment called external beam therapy. During this process, the Linear Accelerator will project x-rays at targeted cancer cells or tumors. Another therapist will be in a different room monitoring the patient’s viral signs until the procedure is over. The external therapy l...
What would Wilhelm Roentgen, the father of X-ray, say about the technological discoveries in radiology today? Since the start of X-rays in 1895 significant advancements have revolutionized the field of radiology. One illustrates how different scanners have improved, in addition how picture archiving communication system can assist doctors, and finally the outlook on the future of radiology.
Many of the experts agree that the dose should be kept as low as possible with minimal exposure to the fetus of any age. It has been shown that fetuses before 16 weeks are the most sensitive to any dose of ionizing radiation and have been shown to have lower IQ’s and verbal scores than those exposed after 16 weeks. Fetuses exposed after 16 weeks have the same amount of risk as children up to 10 years old getting cancer. It is very important to take in to consideration gestational age, shielding, the position of the x-ray tube and the amount of necessity that is considered in taking a radiographic image or performing a radiographic procedure in a pregnant woman.
...why does the technologist step behind a shield to prevent exposure to themself?" The radiation dose for each exam is relatively small, but over time, the dose can add up. There are many state and federal regulations limiting the total radiation dose that may be received by people working with radiation. To comply with those regulations, the technologist must follow strict precautions to keep their cumulative exposure to a minimum.
Most employer requires a minimum of associate’s degree but many certification also leads to bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy. It is a twelve month program and the program includes clinical setting while learning human anatomy and physiology, physics, algebra, computer science, and research methodology in a didactic environment. The program also includes improving a students’ technical skills because the profession require for a healthcare provider to administer the correct amount of dose to the patient. It also improves interpersonal skill of a worker because as mentioned earlier cancer patients need have a great relationship with their patients. Lastly, it also improves a students’ technical skill because the profession works on a machine and knowledge on technical equipment is a requirement. Once a student has completed the program the student will then receive the certification through American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT). The student must adhere the code of ethics and pass the ARRT registration to be able to start working as radiation therapist. Radiation therapy are associated not only with ARRT but also with American Society of Radiologic Technologist (ASRT) and American Association of Medical
Radiologic Technologists use radiation to produce images of tissue, organs, and vessels that make up the body, as well as cancer, tumors, broken bones, and tumors (Cape Fear Community College). If a person is in the medical imaging field to become a Radiologic Technologist to help people, this part of the job is what grabs their attention, because as soon as they find these problems they omit the images to a doctor that helps take care of it. Radiologic Technologist is a branch of Health Science Cluster Diagnostic services pathway (OkCollegeStart). When a person’s knows where their career choice starts it helps get a better overview of where to start and helps get them where they want to be. Radiologic Technologists review and evaluate developed x-ray, videotape, or computer generated information to determine if images are “satisfactory for diagnostic purposes” (OkCollegeStart). Persons who are more technology driven are attracted to this career because of the technology a person gets to use and process. Radiologic
They are educated in anatomy patient radiation safety, examination technicians equipment protocol, radiation protection, and basic patient care. Some may specialize in a specific imaging technique such as cardiovascular- interventional radiography, mammography magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, quality management, sonography or just general graphing. The radiologic technologist who specializes in radiation therapy,
Images of human anatomy have been around for more than 500 years now. From the sketches created by Leonardo da Vinci, to the modern day Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, images have played a great role in medicine. Evolution in medical imaging brought together people from various disciplines such as Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, a collaboration which has further contributed to healthcare as a whole. Modern day imaging improves medical workflows by facilitating a non-invasive insight into human body, accurate and timely diagnostics, and persistence of an analysis.
I was under the assumption that Radiology was primarily X-ray. I couldn’t be more wrong! The RT 100 course, does an outstanding job helping students understand all that is involved within the department. Exploring modalities, equipment, expectations, and organizations, gave us, the students, plenty to contemplate. Material presented, gave me a firm foundation on what I will need to consider, assuming this will be the field of science I choose to pursue. I also feel that if I continue, there will be no surprises on what is expected of me because practically every detail is discussed within the