{"title":"Exploring motivational drivers and barriers to sonographers' research engagement in Arab countries","authors":"M.M. Abuzaid , A.S. Aldahes , W. Elshami , Z.Y. Hamd , M.R. Vils Pedersen","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Research participation is essential for professional development and improving patient care outcomes, yet many sonographers face barriers such as limited time, inadequate support, and insufficient research skills. This study aims to enhance the sonography profession by identifying and addressing the motivational drivers and barriers affecting sonographers' research engagement in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a Google Form platform between September and December 2023. To assess factors affecting sonographers' research participation, 138 sonographers were administered the survey, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and K-means clustering.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The findings reveal that while many sonographers are interested in research, 67 (48.6 %) cited lack of support as a primary barrier and 91 (65.9 %) identified increased job satisfaction as the main motivator. Pearson correlation showed a positive link between research time and publications, while ANOVA found no significant differences across countries, with an average of 2.39 research hours per week (SD = 1.155).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the significant potential for enhancing research engagement among UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan sonographers. By addressing the identified barriers and leveraging the motivational drivers, healthcare institutions can help create a supportive environment for research. This, in turn, can lead to improved professional development for sonographers and better healthcare outcomes for patients.</div></div><div><h3>Implication for practice</h3><div>Organizational and community-wide efforts are crucial to enhancing sonographers' research engagement. Service managers should provide mentorship programs, allocate dedicated research time, and support training. The ultrasound community must advocate for collaborative research policies and sharing platforms, while healthcare institutions should foster a research-driven culture through recognition and professional development opportunities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102905"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143518928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102907
S. Acosta, D. López
{"title":"Retraction notice to “Enhancing radiography education through immersive virtual reality” [Radiography 30 (S2) (2024) 42–50]","authors":"S. Acosta, D. López","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102907","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102907","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal</div><div>(<span><span>https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>).</div><div>This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief.</div><div>Concerns have been identified regarding this paper which violate the journal's policies. The journal is retracting the paper due to serious concerns regarding discrepancies in authorship and ethics declaration, as well as potential research integrity issues. Additionally, there were notable concerns with the language used throughout the paper following a deeper analysis, particularly evident in the conclusion section. The journal is concerned that the unusual language may be due to the use of generative AI tools which have not been declared by the authors. The authors were given the opportunity to respond by providing the full institutional details of the ethics Review Board who approved this work, and the details of the academic institution and department responsible for the 165 radiograph students who participated in the study, to which they did not respond. The journal was also unable to verify the authors' affiliation and correct contact details. The journal also has evidence from the Virtual Medical Coaching (VMC) that their software had no involvement in the Virtual Medical Coaching technology solution, contradicting claims made in the submission. These findings raise critical questions about the validity of the research and adherence to ethical standards, prompting the decision to retract the paper.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102907"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143510819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102903
M.R. Hamed , M.A. Kenawy , S. Mohamed , M. El-Samahy , K.T. Ereiba , A. Eissa
{"title":"Fast susceptibility-weighted imaging using echo planar imaging at 1.5 T for swallow tail sign biomarker detection in Parkinson's disease","authors":"M.R. Hamed , M.A. Kenawy , S. Mohamed , M. El-Samahy , K.T. Ereiba , A. Eissa","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>This study evaluated the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of a fast-imaging technique combining Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) and Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging (SWI) at 1.5 T for visualizing the Swallow Tail Sign (STS) in Parkinson's Disease (PD). The STS, a biomarker linked to PD pathogenesis, offers promise for non-invasive diagnosis. However, conventional SWI often requires high field strengths and lengthy scan times, limiting accessibility. This study aimed to provide a faster, more practical alternative for PD diagnosis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A prospective study included 130 participants (22 early-stage PD, 108 healthy controls [HC]) recruited consecutively from a neurology clinic. Eligibility required freedom from MRI contraindications. A fast EPI-SWI sequence was employed as the primary diagnostic tool, with Movement Disorder Society criteria serving as the reference standard. Diagnostic measures, including sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC), were calculated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>After excluding participants with motion artifacts or suboptimal image quality, 120 participants (20 PD, 100 HC) were included in the analysis. The fast EPI-SWI technique demonstrated 100 % sensitivity, 96 % specificity, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83.3 %, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100 %. The AUC for diagnostic accuracy was 0.98.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The fast EPI-SWI sequence at 1.5 T achieved high diagnostic accuracy for detecting the STS, offering a practical solution for early PD diagnosis in settings with limited access to high-field MRI.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>The use of EPI SWI for detecting the Swallow Tail Sign could provide a faster and more accessible method for early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in clinical settings, particularly in resource-limited environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102903"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143508712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102902
S. Mohammadzadeh , A. Mohebbi , Z. Moradi , A.A. Ardakani , A. Mohammadi , S.M. Tavangar
{"title":"Comparing diagnostic performance of PET/CT, MRI, and CT in characterization of cN0 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A multicenter study","authors":"S. Mohammadzadeh , A. Mohebbi , Z. Moradi , A.A. Ardakani , A. Mohammadi , S.M. Tavangar","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Assessing local invasion is essential for determining stage of cN0 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We aimed to evaluate the performance of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) in HNSCC characterization and compare it with conventional imaging.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This multicentral study included 278 consecutive newly diagnosed cN0 HNSCC patients recruited from ACRIN 6685 (American College of Radiology Imaging Network) dataset. Four board-certified nuclear radiologists interpreted preoperative PET/CT, MRI, and CT examinations of patients. Imaging results were compared to pathological reference tests through area under curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve using Stata 18 and Medcalc 22.017.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>PET/CT demonstrated 23.5 %, 24.7 %, and 51.6 % upstaging, downstaging, and same staging in T staging of patients in comparison to histopathological evaluation, respectively. When evaluating N status, PET/CT showed 25.7 % upstaging, 20.3 % downstaging, and 53.9 % same staging. An optimal SUV<sub>max</sub> cut-off value of 10.9 was determined to predict early-stage (T1, T2) and advanced-stage (T3, T4) HNSCC tumors with an AUC of 0.709 (95 % CI = 0.648–0.766). This cut-off value also predicted N0 and N+ patients with an AUC of 0.670 (95 % CI = 0.606–0.729). Sensitivity and specificity of PET/CT, MRI, and CT for bone invasion, muscle invasion, nerve invasion, cartilage invasion, superficial tissue invasion, overall invasion, and fixed vocal cord were calculated.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings support the valuable accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT in staging HNSCC patients. Also, 18F-FDG PET/CT outperformed conventional imaging in characterization of HNSCC tumors.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>By offering an in-depth investigation in imaging of HNSCC tumors, this study contributes to evidence-based clinical decision-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102902"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143487205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-20DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102900
P.C. Murphy , M. McEntee , M. Maher , M.F. Ryan , C. Harman , A. England , N. Moore
{"title":"Assessment of breast composition in MRI using artificial intelligence – A systematic review","authors":"P.C. Murphy , M. McEntee , M. Maher , M.F. Ryan , C. Harman , A. England , N. Moore","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) performs a critical role in breast cancer diagnosis, especially for high-risk populations e.g. family history. MRI could take advantage of the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI). AI assessment of breast composition factors is less studied than those of lesion detection and classification. These factors are breast density, background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) and fibroglandular tissue (FGT), which are recognized breast cancer phenotypes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Following PRISMA guidelines, the PROSPERO registered review examined the role of AI in assessing breast composition in MRI. A search of articles from Pubmed, Ovid, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google scholar from 2010 to 2022 was conducted. Peer-reviewed, in-vivo studies were included based on defined search categories. Adapted QUADAS-2, CASP and Covidence tools were utilized for quality assessment.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seven studies were identified as being of sufficiently high quality. The studies showed that AI has the potential to provide a comparable level of accuracy against the relevant reference standard. There were limited performance results when delineating BPE and FGT BI-RADs categories. The review highlighted the variability in AI models while the range of statistical methods and small cohort sizes limited cross study compatibility.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>AI has potential in assessing breast composition in MRI. However, variability in AI systems deployed and statistical measurements alongside limited validation across diverse populations remain an issue. AI systems may perform better with binary categorizations rather than the quaternary spectrum of BI-RADS.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>AI could assist in developing personalized breast composition assessments. Future developments could focus on better delineation of breast composition categories. AI models that have trained on more diverse and larger populations should result in more robust and effective clinical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102900"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-19DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102901
K. Brage , M.R.V. Pedersen , C.A. Lauridsen , C. Paulo , P. Hansen , H. Precht , A.J. Addi , J. Jensen
{"title":"Reporting radiographers in CT and MRI: A literature review with a systematic approach","authors":"K. Brage , M.R.V. Pedersen , C.A. Lauridsen , C. Paulo , P. Hansen , H. Precht , A.J. Addi , J. Jensen","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The aim of this literature review is to provide an overview and synthesize the evidence on the role of reporting radiographers in CT and MRI, with a focus on their diagnostic accuracy, the education and training required for this role, and the challenges and opportunities associated with their integration into clinical practice.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings</h3><div>Radiographers in CT and MRI reporting roles often achieve diagnostic accuracy comparable to radiologists, particularly for straightforward pathologies and as first readers. However, discrepancies are more common in complex cases, such as extracolonic findings in CT colonography or smaller polyps in MR colonography.</div><div>Structured training, including postgraduate certificates, tele-training, and technology-enhanced learning, enhances radiographers' diagnostic accuracy and confidence. However, regional variation in training availability and standardisation limits broader implementation.</div><div>Challenges to integration include legal and regulatory constraints, geographical training disparities, and concerns about misdiagnosis. Regular audits and mentoring are crucial to ensuring quality and addressing these concerns.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Radiographers have demonstrated the ability to achieve diagnostic performance comparable to radiologists in specific contexts, particularly when supported by structured training and mentorship. However, challenges such as variability in training opportunities, legal and regulatory constraints, and the risk of misdiagnosis persist. While the evidence highlights the potential of radiographer-led reporting to enhance diagnostic workflows, reduce radiologist workloads, and improve patient care, further research is needed to address these challenges and evaluate long-term impacts on clinical outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>Healthcare organisations should implement standardised training pathways to prepare radiographers for reporting roles. Collaborative models, where radiographers support rather than replace radiologists, can improve efficiency while maintaining quality. Policymakers must provide clear guidelines and funding to expand these roles, particularly in radiologist-shortage areas.</div><div>Technological tools, such as AI-assisted reporting, can help radiographers manage complex cases. Equitable training opportunities, including remote learning and mobile apps, should address geographical disparities. Robust quality assurance protocols are essential to sustain confidence in radiographer-led reporting and enhance patient care outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102901"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-19DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102904
L Di Michele, K Thomson, A Bell, W Reed
{"title":"Corrigendum to \"Assessing evidence-based practice among Australian radiographers: a self-report survey\" [Radiography 30 (2) (March 2024) P696-P701].","authors":"L Di Michele, K Thomson, A Bell, W Reed","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102904","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2025.102904","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":" ","pages":"102904"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143469577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-18DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.01.020
C. Eade , R.M. Meertens , C.J. Heales , N. Ashley
{"title":"A service evaluation of the clinical and cost effectiveness of a home-deployed mobile x-ray imaging service in a regional setting","authors":"C. Eade , R.M. Meertens , C.J. Heales , N. Ashley","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.01.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.01.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Falls in older adults are common, leading to high rates of emergency admissions, extended hospital stays, and unnecessary use of healthcare resources. This service evaluation reports on a home-deployed imaging service using mobile X-ray equipment to explore the potential cost-effectiveness and patient benefits of facilitating imaging at the patient's place of residence.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A six-month pilot program was established involving transporting portable imaging equipment to patients' homes or care facilities in Cornwall as required. Referrals were made by community clinicians via phone, and imaging results were integrated with existing hospital systems. Cost-benefit analysis was performed based on reduced ambulance usage and avoided hospital admissions. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a survey.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>305 patient referrals were made, resulting in 294 imaging visits. Most referrals (64.5 %) were to patients at home, with the remainder in care facilities. The majority of imaging involved hip (41.3 %) and lower limb (23.5 %) examinations. 87.4 % of patients were discharged at the scene, with the remaining 12.6 % requiring ambulance transport. Ambulance callouts were avoided in 257 cases, potentially saving over 19 total days of ambulance handover time. Patient feedback was predominately positive. The average age of patients imaged was 83 and the average frailty score was 6 (moderately frail).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The home-deployed imaging service was effective in reducing need for ambulance conveyance, number of emergency department admissions, and hospital stays, with high patient satisfaction.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>This pilot demonstrates the potential for mobile X-ray services to enhance patient care and reduce healthcare costs. Future implementation should focus on reducing repeat imaging rates and addressing logistical challenges to optimize the service's effectiveness in different settings. Ongoing monitoring and staff training will be essential for sustainable service delivery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102885"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143436956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-12DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.01.019
S. Inggriani , D.L. Rahmawati , G.S. Octavius
{"title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic test accuracy of diffusion weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient in differentiating active from inactive perianal fistula","authors":"S. Inggriani , D.L. Rahmawati , G.S. Octavius","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.01.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.01.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of MRI-based apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for differentiating active from inactive perianal fistulas.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42024596604). The review included five databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar). Meta-analyses were performed on studies reporting ADC values and other sequences using STATA software with the “Midas” command.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 21 studies included in the review, 12 were meta-analyzed, encompassing 1007 patients (77.5 % male) with 1092 fistulas and 321 abscesses. Six studies reported ADC values for active vs. inactive fistulas, with a pooled sensitivity of 83 % (95%CI 68–92), specificity of 75 % (95%CI 60–85), and AUC of 0.85 (95%CI 0.81–0.87). Pooled ADC cut-offs ranged from 1.105 to 1.109 × 10⁻³ mm<sup>2</sup>/s. The T2WI + DWI sequence demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy, with a pooled sensitivity of 99 % (95%CI 90–100), specificity of 97 % (95%CI 79–100), and an AUC of 1.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ADC alone is inadequate for reliably distinguishing active from inactive fistulas. T2WI combined with DWI offers superior diagnostic performance, surpassing contrast-enhanced T1WI, and is promising for non-invasive evaluation of perianal fistulas. However, several limitations, such as moderate to high risk of bias and heterogeneity, may bias this conclusion.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>T2WI + DWI could become the standard for assessing perianal fistulas, avoiding contrast agents, and benefiting patients contraindicated for Gadolinium-based contrast media. Variability and potential bias across studies warrant further research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102884"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143387918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RadiographyPub Date : 2025-02-11DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102897
K. Ganjitsuda
{"title":"Effect of practical training on radiography students' CT exposure knowledge: A study in Japan","authors":"K. Ganjitsuda","doi":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102897","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radi.2025.102897","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Optimizing computed tomography (CT) parameters is crucial to minimize patient dose while maintaining diagnostic image quality. This study investigated the impact of practical education, specifically hands-on experience and clinical placements, on radiography students' knowledge of CT exposure parameters in Japan.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted among third- and fourth-year Kagoshima Medical Technology College radiography students. A validated 21-item questionnaire assessed their knowledge of CT exposure parameters, including tube voltage (kVp), milliampere-seconds (mAs), and pitch. Independent-sample t-tests were used to compare the mean knowledge scores between student groups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 126 students participated. Fourth-year students (<em>n</em> = 60) demonstrated significantly higher knowledge of CT parameters than third-year students (<em>n</em> = 66) (<em>t</em> = −5.853, df = 121.279, <em>p</em> < 0.001). Among third-year students, females (<em>n</em> = 24) outperformed males (<em>n</em> = 42) on the knowledge questionnaire (<em>t</em> = −2.435, df = 54.992, <em>p</em> = 0.018). No significant gender-based differences were found in the fourth-year students' knowledge scores (<em>t</em> = 0.199, df = 51.199, <em>p</em> = 0.843). Additionally, no significant difference was observed between fourth-year students who participated in observation- and clerkship-based clinical training (<em>t</em> = 0.042, df = 49.298, <em>p</em> = 0.967).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Practical education, including clinical placements and on-campus hands-on training, significantly improved radiography students' knowledge of CT exposure parameters. Incorporating practical training early in the curriculum and addressing gender-based differences in learning styles may be crucial for optimizing CT education and promoting radiation safety. Further research is warranted to explore how specific clinical activities and student participation during clinical placements influence knowledge acquisition.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><div>Early integration of hands-on training and attention to learning styles can enhance radiography education, improving safety and competence in CT parameter management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47416,"journal":{"name":"Radiography","volume":"31 2","pages":"Article 102897"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143378973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}