Radiologic Technology最新文献

Purpose: To explore the perceptions and current practices of radiologist assistants' peer-review process.

Methods: A 49-question, anonymous, online questionnaire was emailed to 133 radiologist assistants in the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists database. Descriptive statistics were used for data analyses.

Results: The survey response rate was 42.1% (56/133). Most respondents (62.5%) participated in peer review. Direct in-person observation (21.4%) was the most common process used for radiologist assistants. Radiologists (62.5%) and radiologist assistants (51.8%) were considered peers to perform peer review. Although respondents indicated individual feedback was given by letters or emails (16.1%), they preferred face-to-face or phone call discussions (39.3%). Most respondents (65.5%) did not have peer-review meetings for educational purposes. Most respondents (92.5%) agreed that participating in peer review would be beneficial to their professional and educational development (90%) and that learning from peer review would be worth their time (95%).

Discussion: Health care providers and organizations use peer review to identify practice variations, optimum care delivery, effective communication, and deficiencies in professionalism by comparing the peers' views on performance against accepted standards. In radiology, diagnostic and interventional radiologists routinely perform peer review, but no information exists on processes for radiology-specific advanced practice providers, particularly radiologist assistants.

Conclusion: Radiologist assistants were receptive to participating in peer review and saw it as beneficial for educational and professional development. Knowledge of current processes and perceptions allows for radiologist assistant-specific peer-review development.

Purpose: To establish a standardized method of reformatting axial images for computed tomography (CT) brain examinations.

Methods: An anatomic line between the superior orbital rim and the base of the occipital bone (SOR-BS line) was chosen as the standardized reference line. In June 2022, CT technologists at a tertiary care center received an educational presentation and a 1-page reference handout on making standardized CT reformats. This was the quality-of-care intervention. Subsequently, 100 CT brain examinations performed on July 1 to 10, 2020 (preintervention) were analyzed and compared with 100 CT brain examinations performed on July 1 to 10, 2022 (postintervention).

Results: There were no significant differences in the mean angle differences measured between the preintervention (6.2 ± 5.8°) and the postintervention (5.8 ± 4.7°) groups (P = .67). However, the number of CT brain studies with an angle difference of more than 20° decreased from 4 studies to 1 study. In addition, the number of CT brain studies without reformatted images decreased from 5 to 2 studies.

Discussion: The cause for the less-than-optimal adoption of the expected change in CT workflow might be complex and multifactorial. However, the institution in this study is a busy tertiary care center with a chronic shortage of CT technologists. The busy workflow might have contributed to lack of significance for the parameters assessed.

Conclusion: There was a slight but not significant improvement between preintervention and postintervention data.

Purpose: To measure radiologic science professionals' current attitudes toward older adults.

Methods: The Geriatrics Attitude Scale (GAS) paper survey was distributed to radiology and radiation oncology personnel in a large, single teaching hospital system. The GAS provides a global measure of ageist attitudes using 14 questions and 4 subscales. Demographic information also was collected.

Results: The total sample (N = 74) comprised radiology and radiation oncology practitioners from rural and nonrural facilities in the health system. Of the 14 questions, 3 yielded significant differences between medical imaging and radiation therapy practitioners. There were no significant effects for gender, race, years of experience, or facility type.

Discussion: Although significant differences were found between medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals for some of the constructs, both groups had positive attitudes overall toward older adults as measured by the GAS and subscales. Interventions to disrupt ageism should be introduced to make positive shifts in attitudes.

Conclusion: The United Nations has declared 2021 to 2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing; people are challenged to change how they think, feel, and act toward aging and older adults. This pilot study provides a timely baseline for further research as older adults continue to challenge the U.S. health care system for the near future.