RAD4160 - Advanced medical imaging - 2019

This is a core unit of year 4 designed to provide students completing the final year of the Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging with knowledge and skills in advanced multislice computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging methods, radiographic image interpretation and advanced decision making with respect to imaging and the radiographic management of the patient. The unit comprises three elements namely multislice CT physics, CT methods and clinical practice, MRI methods and clinical practice and radiographic image interpretation principles and pattern recognition.

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Apply the principles of evidence-based health care practice to the delivery of MSCT and MRI imaging in the clinical context.
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. Accurately implement the principles of quality assurance measures and quality control relevant to MSCT and MRI imaging and artefacts.
4. Comprehensively describe MSCT Methods and protocols and related interventional, vascular and cardiac procedures.
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. Explain the physical and mathematical principles of CT image reconstruction and processing techniques.
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. Explain how advanced CT imaging techniques can incorporate data from other imaging modalities, e.g. PET-CT, to enhance diagnostic outcome.
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. 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. 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. Distinguish between sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, search error, detection error and interpretation error in relation to the interpretation of general radiographic images.
13. Critically apply the knowledge of psychophysics of vision to patterns seen in radiographic imaging.
14. Apply a logical method to the radiographic evaluation of bones, soft tissues and joints of the skeletal system, chest and abdomen.
15. Recognise the characteristics of the radiographic representation of radiographic anatomy and common pathologies affecting the skeletal system, chest and abdomen
16. Exercise professional judgement in respect of providing a series of evidence-based radiographic comments related to the interpretation of general radiographic through the use of a radiographer opinion form.

NOTE: From 1 July 2019, the duration of all exams is changing to combine reading and writing time. The new exam duration for this unit is 2.5 hours and 10 minutes and 1.5 hours and 10 minutes.

• Written examination (CT imaging and CT methods) (2.5 hours) and computer-based image analysis (1 hour) (20%)
• Written examination (MRI imaging and MRI methods) (2.5 hours) and computer-based image analysis (1 hour) (20%)
• 2 x General radiography image interpretation examinations (90 minutes each) (20%)
• iSap Image Interpretation Case report (1,500 words) (10%)
• Evidence based psychophysics essay (1,500 words) (10%)
• CT and MRI Clinical case reports (6,000 words) 20%

The academic elements comprise a 4 hour workshop, 8 hours of lectures, a 12 hour distance education package. The student is expected to undertake one hour of self-directed study for each contact/directed hour. Clinical experience comprises: 4 extended periods of 20 hours of supervised and directed clinical practice in MSCT and MRI.

Please note: The teaching dates for this unit may vary from the standard teaching datesstandard teaching dates (http://www.monash.edu/enrolments/dates/census) for this teaching period.

Unit discontinuation and penalty dates for these units may be different to other units taught in the same teaching period.

Please refer to the information available on the Faculty's non-standard teaching datesFaculty's non-standard teaching dates (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/enrolments/non-standard-dates.html) page to avoid academic and financial penaltiesacademic and financial penalties (http://www.monash.edu/enrolments/processes/change/add-or-discontinue-units#penalties).

See also Unit timetable information

Radiography and medical imaging

Radiation sciences