RAD4160 Advanced medical imaging

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. 1

   Apply the principles of evidence-based health care practice to the delivery of MSCT and MRI imaging in the clinical context.

2. 2

   Evaluate CT and MRI clinical images to recognise and describe the appearance of anatomical structures displayed in cross sectional imaging and identify abnormal appearances and common pathologies to include a variety of body areas.

3. 3

   Accurately implement the principles of quality assurance measures and quality control relevant to MSCT and MRI imaging and artefacts.

4. 4

   Comprehensively describe MSCT Methods and protocols and related interventional, vascular and cardiac procedures.

5. 5

   Determine the radiation dose for a CT examination and how best to optimise it to produce a diagnostic image while limiting radiation dose in various CT examinations and body areas.

6. 6

   Explain the physical and mathematical principles of CT image reconstruction and processing techniques.

7. 7

   Select the appropriate MSCT protocol and post processing techniques for core and fine needle biopsies; angiographic studies and virtual colonoscopies from within an evidence - based framework.

8. 8

   Explain how advanced CT imaging techniques can incorporate data from other imaging modalities, e.g. PET-CT, to enhance diagnostic outcome.

9. 9

   Explain the role played by the radiographer in the application of safety and quality assurance and quality control principles within the MRI suite, including comprehensively and critically describing pre-scanning screening of MRI patients, and safety issues involved in the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents.

10. 10

    Correlate the appropriate equipment, advanced MRI imaging sequence and post processing techniques with the clinical indications, patient preparation and positioning methods to include a variety of body areas.

11. 11

    Outline and describe the principles of advanced MRI specialist techniques and parameter selection and those of MR-PET, and recognise the implications this has on image quality (+/- Signal and contrast to noise ratio, image resolution and scan time).

12. 12

    Distinguish between sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, search error, detection error and interpretation error in relation to the interpretation of general radiographic images.

13. 13

    Critically apply the knowledge of psychophysics of vision to patterns seen in radiographic imaging.

14. 14

    Apply a logical method to the radiographic evaluation of bones, soft tissues and joints of the skeletal system, chest and abdomen.

15. 15

    Recognise the characteristics of the radiographic representation of radiographic anatomy and common pathologies affecting the skeletal system, chest and abdomen

16. 16

    Exercise professional judgement in respect of providing a series of evidence-based radiographic comments related to general radiographic image interpretation and advanced clinical decision-making.