Transcript Chapter 1-Introduction

 An
individual who performs radiography,
radiation therapy, or nuclear medicine
technology
 Take
X-rays and administer contrast media into
patients’ bloodstreams for diagnostic purposes
 Referred to as radiographers, produce X-ray
images (radiographs) of parts of the human
body for use in diagnosing medical problems
 Prepare patients for radiologic examinations by
explaining the procedure, removing jewelry
and other articles through which X-rays cannot
pass, and positioning patients so that the parts
of the body can be appropriately aligned
© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers
 Radiographers
must follow physicians’ orders
precisely and conform to regulations
concerning the use of radiation
 Some radiographers specialize in computed
tomography (CT), and are sometimes referred
to as CT technologists
 Radiographers also can specialize in magnetic
resonance imaging as an MR technologist
 Mammographers use low dose X-ray systems
to produce images of the breast
© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Treat cancer in the human body
 As part of a medical radiation oncology team,
radiation therapists use machines—called linear
accelerators—to administer radiation treatment to
patients
 Keep detailed records of their patients’ treatments
 Assist medical radiation physicists, specialists who
monitor and adjust the linear accelerator
 May assist with the process used to calculate
radiation dosages

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers
 Use
radioactive materials for diagnostic or
therapeutic purposes
 Radiopharmaceuticals are administered
intravenously, orally, or by inhalation
 Radiopharmaceuticals are chemicals tagged
with a radioactive material that will be emitted
from the patient and imaged through radiation
detecting instrumentation
 Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine Studies
demonstrate physiologic functions of the body
 Common exams include the Bone Scan and
Stress Test
 Angiography
 Bone
Densitometry
 Mammography
 Computed Tomography (CT)
 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
 Sonography/Ultrasound
 Cardiovascular
Interventional
Technology
 Radiographic
examination of the
blood vessels after
injection of a
contrast medium
 Used
to diagnose osteoporosis
 Uses dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry
 DEXA
 Measurement of bone density of the
lower spine or hips
 Radiographic
examination of the
breast and its
surrounding tissues
 Creates
images that represents sections
or “slices” of the anatomy
 Include
• CT
• MRI
• Ultrasound/Sonography
 X-ray
detectors are
arranged in a
circular pattern to
gather
“information”
 Information is sent
to computer
 Body is “sliced” and
each slice can be
viewed individually
 Magnetic
Resonance Imaging
 Uses a strong
magnetic field and
radiowaves to
create image
 Use
special equipment to direct non-ionizing,
high frequency sound waves into areas of the
patient’s body
 Sonographers operate the equipment, which
collects reflected echoes and forms an image
that may be videotaped, transmitted, or
photographed for interpretation and diagnosis
by a physician
 Specialize in obstetric and gynecologic
sonography, abdominal sonography,
neurosonography, breast sonography, vascular
sonography or cardiac sonography
© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers
 Administration
• Lead Technologist, Department Manager
 Education
• Program Director, Clinical Instructor, etc.
 Commercial
Firms
• Sales, Applications, Technical Support

Associate’s Degree in Radiologic Technology
(Radiography) at RWC

Associate’s Degree in Radiation Therapy at RWC

Bachelor’s Degree in Advanced Medical Imaging
Technology at CAHS
• Nuclear Medicine
• Sonography
• MRI

Bachelor’s Degree in Radiation Science Technology at
RWC
• A completion program designed for Radiography and Radiation
Therapy graduates
• Professional Practice
• Sectional Imaging
• Medical Dosimetry for Radiation Therapists
 Radiation
- Energy
that is transmitted
by waves through
space or through a
medium
 X-Rays are a form
of electromagnetic
energy
 X-rays
are a manmade form of
electromagnetic
energy
 X-rays are
produced when
electrons moving at
a high speed are
suddenly stopped.
 X-Rays
have the ability to ionize matter
• Neutral atom gains an electron
• Neutral atom loses an electron
• A net charge is created
• The atom becomes an ion
• The process is ionization
 The
making of
records of internal
structures of the
body known as
Radiographs
 Used to examine
many different
systems within the
human body
 X-rays
are created in an x-ray tube
 The x-rays interact with the patient at the
atomic level
• Some are absorbed and do not pass through the
patient
• Some are scattered and go in a different direction
that their original path
• Some pass through the patient
 X-rays
that exit the patient strike an image
receptor where the image is recorded
A
device that will retain the signal from
the radiation exiting the patient and form
an image or picture of the anatomy
• Film
• Digital