Dear Digital X-Ray Insider,
When it comes to evaluating the mediastinum, it's tempting to go straight to CT, but the chest x-ray remains a useful tool, according to new analysis from a top Portuguese university hospital.
In many cases, frontal and lateral chest radiographs continue to be the first diagnostic examination performed for lung and mediastinal evaluation, so a comprehensive knowledge of normal radiographic mediastinal anatomy is vital for detecting abnormalities, they believe. Get the story here.
For reporting common examinations like chest x-rays, a heavy reliance on intuitive thinking is understandable, but this can be a risky approach. Award-winning research from the Netherlands has highlighted why cognitive errors occur, and the authors also give 20 practical tips on how such mistakes can be avoided. To read more, click here.
Following a motorbike accident, U.K. patient Stephen Powers' x-rays did not make pleasant viewing, but surgeons were able to rebuild his face using 3D visualization techniques. Click here to find out how they did it.
To improve communication with clinicians, Irish researchers recommend implementing a computerized alert system for dealing with clinically significant, unexpected findings. Interestingly, nearly half of the 373 alerts issued by Cork University Hospital over a one-year period were due to findings on a chest radiograph. To learn more, click here.
Radiation dose management systems also can have a big impact on daily clinical practice. Dr. Jan Casselman, PhD, from Bruges, Belgium, thinks these systems can help hospitals comply with the new European Union legislative requirements and enable radiologists to meet their ethical responsibility to maximize patient safety. Click here for the details.
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