General Techniques Flashcards
What steps should you take to plan your rad image? (6)
- Determine rad views
- Assess the patient
- Choose technique
- Preparations
- The image: Anatomy & Technique assessment
Standard care of Rad views (4)
- Two views of any body region.
- Three views of the lungs if eval for tumors.
- Recommended that identical views of opposite limbs are done for comparison.
- Smallest image window possible for max detail (“coning down”)
Standard views of thorax (3)
- VD & left Lateral.
- VD, R & L (metastasis check).
- If animal is dyspneic only a VD may be possible.
Abdomen standard views
- VD & right Lateral.
- Need “daylight” caudally to visualize entire urethra.
Met check is…
Metastasis Eval of the lungs!
Assess the patient:
1. Injuries
2. Difficulty breathing
3. Pain
4. Attitude
- Do no harm! Patients w/trauma hist. or neck/spinal pain should be handled w/care!
- Pre oxygenate. Minimize stress (be quick & calm). Might only get a DV view.
- If position is causing pain, stop!! Ask DVM for instructions (sed, diff view).
- Muzzle, sed. or anesthesia.
How should you measure for setting up the x-ray machine?
- Measure thickest part of region to be imaged at the widest point.
- Use calipers.
- Measure in correct positioning.
T/F: Technique chart is developed to a specific machine. It is based on the measurement thickness and body region (thoracic, abdomen, bone).
True!
What to look for on the Tech chart: (6)
- Thickness (cm)
- Study type (thoracic, abdomen)
- Exposure time (sec)
- Quantity (mA)
- Energy setting (kVp)
- Film type & grid status
Focal-film distance
- Distance between target in xray tube and the surface of the xray cassette.
- Important that FFD be kept constant!
- Small changes in distance will lead to large changes in xrays hitting cassette.
- Cassette placed on bucky req. change in location of head/tech.
- If must change focal distance for positioning mAs change will be req.
Preparations: What is the last step? Placing patient on xray table! (10)
- All positioning equipment should be selected on/near table.
- sandbags, foam, cradles, tape, etc. - Warm up xray machine.
- Warm up developer (must be at correct temp!).
- Rad tech and machine set.
- Cassette in place.
- Markers in correct placement (left corner of film).
- PPE on!
- Animal safety equipment if needed.
- Take potty if needed.
- NOW get patient into xray!
Exposing the image (6)
- Animal is in position, nothing else in field, & coning down has completed.
- Begin rotor.
- Image exposure when no movement from animal (peak inhale or exhale).
- Change cassette between images.
- Keep cassettes not in use away from beams.
- Keep them organized!
Developing an image (2)
- Be certain that the developer is at the correct temp!
- Devel. images before ideal temp cause cloudy images. - Extreme care must be taken to not expose white light to film prior to development.
Assessing the image (4)
- Of course everything is perfect the 1st time!
- BUT if the image is poor, adjustments are made & image is taken again.
- Sometimes the vet tech does the first eval.
- THEN DVM interprets.
The physics of an image is…
Photon traveling thru patient & exciting fluorescence on radiograph screen.
- Air is always black
- Bone is always white
- Tissues will be shades of grey based on density
- Objects whiter than bone are rocks and metals
