Radiology
We have reached a point in the history of Diagnostic Imaging technology when images are of very high quality and the Imaging Industry claims that systems utilize the lowest levels of radiation dose ever in history and yet, we have seen a large number of cases of overexposed patients some of them, suffering irreversible consequences. Your project is to choose one of the modalities listed below and investigate the following for your chosen modality:
a. A summary of the 10 most typical studies/procedures, with references as to where you obtained the information (“I asked the chief of CT at my hospital and he gave them to me” also counts)
b. The type of images (radiographic, fluoroscopic, DSA, etc) typically obtained in these studies.
c. A brief historical summary of the progress in the technology for your chose modality (no more than one page in a report, no more than 3 slides in a presentation) and how is it that these have improved the modality in terms of image quality and patient dose
d. Describe the specific dose quantity or index utilized to monitor patient dose in your modality (CTDI, lgM, Peak skin dose, etc), as well as whether absorbed or effective doses are more appropriate for use (no more than 2 pages in report, 4-5 slides in presentation).
e. Typical patient doses for the ten procedures in “a” (you must find reputable references for these).
f. Search the New York Times series in Radiation Doses in Medicine )to be posted on the course website) and summarize what the articles may say about the modality
g. Which parameters impact an increase in patient dose the most (kV, FOV, etc) in the modality and how can you make sure protocols are implemented to ensure these parameters are best optimized to minimize patient doses.
h. Briefly indicate how you can monitor patient doses in the modality
i. Reach a conclusion: is the modality safe or not?

MODALITIES (maximum of two students/modality):
1. CR/DR (pediatric/neonatal radiography)
2. Fluoroscopy in the OR and similar suites with mobile c-arms
3. Interventional Radiology
4. Computed Tomography