Would you like an infection with your injection? A study investigating infection control and administering policies regarding radiographer performed intravenous Injections

This was a Study to Investigate Infection Control and Administering Policies Regarding Radiographer Performed Intravenous Injections. The hypotheses of the research study were: radiographers did not follow best practice or departmental infection control guidelines relating to IV cannulation. radiographers did not follow departmental IV administration guidelines.

Method

Two methods of data collection were used, a literature review and an observational study including a pilot study. The qualitative research method used in order to gather data was a structured observational study of eight radiographers using a pre-prepared checklist based upon best practice guidelines from the Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiotherapy (IIRRT), and the infection control department of the hospital in which the study took place.

Results

Each radiographer was observed several times and given a score accordingly with the results being presented in tabular form.

Conclusion

The research study ascertained that radiographers did not adhere to hospital infection control guidelines when inserting IV cannulae i.e. radiographers did not consistently wash their hands prior to performing IV cannulation.Radiographers administering IV contrast media injections, did not fully adhere to IV administration guidelines.     

Are you sure you want to be a manager?

Management has a substantial effect on organizational outcome and is critical for the organization in terms of obtaining long-term goals. Therefore, the selection of successful managers is crucial to attaining organizational objectives. However, a staff technologist who functions very successfully in his or her present role may not have the characteristics needed for successful management. Unfortunately, success in one's current, nonsupervisory position is usually the very attribute that is considered when a management position is offered. Because of this, there are many who fail miserably in the management role. These managers are ill-suited for the duties they must perform, unhappy in the position, disliked and seen as ineffectual by their subordinates and colleagues. It is essential that any individual who is offered a management position critically evaluate his or her abilities and personality before accepting the offer. For a candidate who is unsure of his or her abilities, tests are available that can assist in measuring attributes such as leadership behavior, power management, power orientation, conflict management, perceptions of organizational climate and the individual's "organizational fit" with the organization offering the position. These instruments should be used with caution because their reliability and validity in predicting management success depend on a wide variety of factors. Ultimately, it is the prospective manager's personal judgment that must be the final determinant of whether a management position is the best choice.     

Does ultra-low-dose CT with a radiation dose equivalent to that of KUB suffice to detect renal and ureteral calculi?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of multislice CT using a radiation dose equivalent to that of conventional abdominal x-ray (KUB). One hundred forty-two patients were prospectively examined with ultrasound and a radically dose-reduced CT protocol (120 kV, 6.9 eff. mAs). Number and size of calculi, presence of urinary obstruction, and alternative diagnoses were recorded and confirmed by stone removal/discharge or by clinical and imaging follow-up. The mean effective whole-body dose was 0.5 mSv in men and 0.7 mSv in women. The sensitivity and specificity in detecting patients with calculi was 97% and 95% for CT and 67% and 90% for ultrasound. Urinary obstruction was similarly assessed, whereas CT identified significantly more alternative diagnoses than ultrasound (P<0.001). With regard to published data for standard-dose CT, the present CT protocol seems to be comparable in its diagnostic yield in assessing patients with calculi, and its radiation dose is equivalent to that of KUB.     

MRI: are you playing your system like a fiddle or a Stradivarius? Where we are headed and how to keep up

Dr. Raymond Damadian performed the first human magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in 1977. Unveiled from behind the research curtain, MRI technology was introduced to the clinical environment by the mid 1980s. Most academic and largehospitals lined up right away and purchased their first scanners as soon as they became available. The race began, and the MRI learning process at radiology departments all over the world started. As with any growing technology, came a surge of competition--manufacturers as well as imaging facilities. MRI technology flooded the medical community, since it provided enormous benefits for patients and doctors. It was like a rocket launching with scientists and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) researching, creating and contributing to the advancement of clinical science and forever improved diagnoses. Radiologists at UCLA predict that most of today's procedures currently falling under research will flourish in the clinical setting within the next 5 years. The rise of PET technology and the ability to fuse metabolic images with an anatomical MRI map will undoubtedly prove invaluable for staging of pathology, treatment planning and tracking, especially when the disease is present within soft tissue, like the brain. Another sign that MRI is a healthy addition to medical imaging is the increasing number of MRI reimbursement codes. However, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies are also scrutinizing more and paying less today than they did yesterday. There will always be certain myths about how bigger is always better. That's not to say system enhancements and advancements are not essential to medical imaging, but the needs and budgets differ for each facility. Regardless of site needs or budget, it is imperative that all facilities utilize the equipment they have to their maximum potential. The new "bells and whistles" might not be needed to stay competitive. Innovative technology continues to be available as long as there is a need. However, buying bigger and better doesn't always mean you will utilize what's been bought to its full potential.     

Does the accuracy of single reading with CAD (computer-aided detection) compare with that of double reading?: A review of the literature

AIM: To examine current evidence to determine whether the accuracy of single reading with computed-aided detection (CAD) compares with that of double reading. METHODS: We performed a literature review to identify studies where both protocols had been investigated and compared. We identified eight studies that compared single reading with CAD against double reading, of which six reported on comparisons of both sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Of the six studies identified, three showed no differences in either sensitivity or specificity. One showed single reading with CAD had a higher sensitivity at the same specificity, another that single reading with CAD had a higher specificity at the same sensitivity. However, one study, in a real-life setting, showed that single reading with CAD had a higher sensitivity but a lower specificity. CONCLUSION: As the majority of the studies were not in a real-life setting, used test sets, lacked sufficient training in the use of CAD and simulated double reading (using a protocol of recall if one suggests), current evidence is therefore limited as to the accuracy, in terms of sensitivity and specificity, of single reading with CAD in comparison with the most common practice in the UK of double reading using a protocol of consensus or arbitration.     

Differential roles of RIG?I like receptors in SARS?CoV?2 infection

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) sense viral RNA and activate antiviral immune responses. Herein ...     

Mathematic analysis of incremental packing density with detachable coils: does that last coil matter much?

Higher packing attenuation of coils in cerebral aneurysms is associated with a decreased recurrence rate. However, geometric relationships suggest that an additional coil may have very little effect on packing attenuation as aneurysm size increases. We mathematically evaluated the relationship between aneurysm size and incremental packing attenuation for coils currently available.     

“Death may come on like a stroke of lightening ...”

Due to the decomposition of biological material, hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) is produced. In low concentrations, the well-known smell of “rotten eggs” is associated with H₂S. In higher concentrations, H₂S is an odourless and colourless gas that may cause rapid loss of consciousness, neurological and respiratory depression and imminent death—“... like a stroke of lightening”. Hydrogen sulphide poisoning is an un-common incident that is often associated with colleague fatalities. In this study, 4 fatal accidents with 10 deceased victims are reported and the morphological and phenomenological aspects are presented. In these cases, the morphological findings, namely, discolouration of the livores, pulmonary pathologies and sub-mucosal or sub-serosal congestion bleeding were found in nearly all cases. Also the impending threat for colleagues, first aid helpers and professional rescue teams is demonstrated. The suspicion of a fatal H₂S intoxication should be based on a precise scene analysis with respect to the possibility of life-threatening H₂S intoxication for the helpers, the typical scent of rotten eggs, which may be noted on the corpses and the abovementioned morphological findings. The diagnosis should be confirmed by a qualitative and, if possible, quantitative analysis of H₂S.     

A collimator with a magnetic personality?

We report an unusual technical problem with a gamma camera fitted with a pinhole collimator. An unexpected decrease of approximately 20 keV in the energy of the 99mTc photopeak is seen if the (circular) collimator is rotated relative to the camera head. The centreline of the photopeak varied over the range 118-141 keV depending on the orientation of the collimator. The count rate and photopeak width changed concurrently. Image uniformity was severely degraded for lower peak energies. The reason for this behaviour is that the pinhole collimator had become magnetized. The magnetic field was measured and had maximum values of 1.0 mT at the edge and 0.1 mT near the camera face. The magnetic field strongly influenced the response of the photomultiplier tubes. We conclude that acceptance testing of gamma cameras should include a check for collimator magnetization.