RAD 101 chap 1 voice memo

Flashcards covering the fundamentals of radiologic technology, ethics, equipment, infection control, and patient care procedures based on lecture notes.

Radiologic Technology

A health care profession that includes all diagnostic imaging technologists and radiation therapists.

Radiographer

A radiologic technologist who administers ionizing radiation to perform radiographic procedures, requiring knowledge of physics, anatomy, physiology, and pathology.

American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT)

The organization that writes and maintains the practice standards, defines the practice of radiography, and describes necessary education and certification.

Ethics

A profession's moral responsibility and the science of appropriate conduct toward others.

American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

The organization that created and maintains the standards of ethics, including the Code of Ethics and Rules of Ethics.

Code of Ethics

A professional behavior guide for RTs consisting of $10$ statements.

Rules of Ethics

$22$ mandatory rules that serve as professional behavior requirements.

Radiology Assistant (RA)

Radiographers who provide advanced imaging services under the supervision of a radiologist preceptor, often referred to as the PAs of the radiology field.

Standard Precautions

A set of infection control practices provided by the CDC, including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and proper equipment disinfection.

Kelly clamp

An instrument used to safely pick up needles or sharp objects from a sterile tray to avoid accidental punctures.

Dyspnea on Exertion (DOE)

A clinical condition where a patient experiences shortness of breath while performing physical movement, such as walking.

Involuntary Motion

Motion that cannot be controlled by the patient, such as heartbeat, chills, peristalsis, tremors, spasms, and pain.

Short Exposure Time

The primary method used to control and minimize the blur caused by involuntary motion.

Voluntary Motion

Motion that a patient can control, such as nervousness, breathing, and physical movement; controlled by clear instructions and patient comfort.

Image Receptor (IR)

A device that receives the energy of the X-ray beam and forms the image of the body part.

Photostimulable Phosphor (PSP) plate

An image receptor used in computed radiography (CR) that contains an emulsion film that creates light when hit by X-rays.

Centering (Detent)

The process of aligning the central ray of the X-ray tube to the center of the image receptor.

mAs (milliampere-seconds)

The technical factor that controls the quantity or amount of radiation produced.

kVp (kilovoltage peak)

The technical factor that controls the quality, volume, and penetration ability of the X-ray beam.

Gonad Shielding

Protective lead covering used when gonads lie within or close to $5\,\text{cm}$ from the primary field, provided it doesn't compromise the clinical objective.

ALARA

A radiation safety principle that stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable.

Collimation

The restriction of the radiation field to only the anatomy of interest to minimize patient exposure and reduce scatter radiation.

Diagonal IR Position

An image receptor placement used primarily for the tib-fib (tibia-fibula) and humerus to fit long bones on a $17\,\text{inch}$ receptor.

Source to Image Distance (SID)

The distance from the anode focal spot inside the X-ray tube to the image receptor; standard distance is $40\,\text{inches}$ ($102\,\text{cm}$).

$$72\text{-inch SID}$$

Used for chest examinations to reduce heart magnification and improve spatial resolution.

Shuttering

A software feature used for image aesthetics to provide a black background; it is not a substitute for proper collimation and can lead to legal liability.

Anatomic Markers

Lead markers (Right or Left) that must be placed in the exposure field on the lateral aspect of the anatomy to identify the patient's side.

Radiograph

The image recorded by exposing any of the image receptors to X-rays.

Evaluation Criteria

The standards used to determine if a radiograph is acceptable, including markers, collimation, and absence of artifacts.

Obesity

A condition defined as an excessive accumulation of fat, with a BMI between $30$ and $39.9$.

Morbid Obesity

A condition defined by a BMI of $40$ or higher.

Gantry

The aperture or opening in CT and MR machines through which the patient must fit for imaging.